


Don't Get Too Close (Happier Version)

by LuciferaBlack



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-01 18:29:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 32,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16289573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciferaBlack/pseuds/LuciferaBlack
Summary: Red comes into Liz's life as she starts college, and they embark on a relationship, despite some challenges.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It’s around 2002, and Lizzie is about 18. At this time, Red is about 42—picture James Spader in the movie Secretary (2002), but with green eyes. ;)
> 
> The original version was my favorite fic to write so far! So I'm revisiting it. This version is happier, and Liz and Red find a way to stay together.  
> For those who read the original version and would like to skip to where this version goes in another direction: the storylines split in Chapter 4.
> 
> This version was still inspired by the song "Demons" by Imagine Dragons (with lyrics): https://youtu.be/ja17peUplN4
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own The Blacklist or the characters; this is strictly for fan entertainment purposes.

 Liz was a few weeks into her courses at college and she was still reeling from how new everything was. It was all so different and exciting, and stressful. She was in her dormitory room and she’d finished her classes and homework for the week, so she was getting ready to go out to a bar. Liz studied herself in the mirror and applied some dark lipstick, then she put her hair up in a high, messy bun with some spikes of hair sticking out in a fun way. She checked herself out in the mirror; she was wearing a dark purple t-shirt with a broken heart on the front and tight black jeans. Turning slightly, she looked at her butt and was pleased with the way the tight jeans accentuated it.

 Liz checked her purse for her fake ID and she hadn’t lost it yet, so she was glad. She left her room and locked the door. She ran into one of her dorm mates, Chloe, on the way out. 

 “Damn, girl! Where are you off to?” Chloe said, eyeing her jealously. 

 Liz grinned. 

 “Just the bar down the street.” She said as she left. 

 It was dark out and Liz walked quickly, feeling a little nervous going out by herself at night in this new city. She glanced around frequently until she reached the bar. She was pleased to find there was no bouncer at the entrance. Liz walked in like she owned the place, pretending she was used to going to bars. It was dimly lit inside but not seedy; it was a comfortable atmosphere, and she felt excited. She went up to the bar and waited. The bartender came over to her and eyed her skeptically, but he found her very attractive, so he didn’t bother asking for her ID. 

 “What can I get you, hon?” He asked. 

 “Um…Malibu and Coke, please.” She said.

 The bartender prepared the drink and gave it to her. She paid him and then took a sip. She didn’t know why she drank that stuff; it tasted weird. Liz excitedly looked around, scanning the bar, taking in the surroundings and some of the characters. 

 Red was sitting in a booth in the corner, with his back to the wall. He took a sip of scotch and then looked up; there she was, and she was _so_ beautiful. Lizzie was out exploring the world after starting college. She’d become such an enchanting young woman. She was sipping her drink and eagerly casting about for someone to talk to. 

 The bar played “Stop Crying Your Heart Out” by Oasis, and a young man came up to talk to Liz. He introduced himself as Dan and they talked about the new song and whether or not they liked Oasis. 

 Red watched Lizzie smiling, talking and laughing and he wanted to go over there and steal her away from the young man. He stayed put and took a larger gulp of scotch. Liz glanced around again and a very charismatic man in a suit caught her eye. He was sitting by himself in the corner, but he looked self-assured. He was very good looking and suave. Liz had a hard time looking away, especially when he locked eyes with her. 

 “Um…would you excuse me?” She said, in a daze, not looking at Dan, who was disappointed. 

 Liz slowly approached the intriguing man in the suit. Red watched her and mentally scolded himself for allowing her to notice him, but there was no turning back now. She was standing next to his table and she smiled as he looked up at her. 

 “May I join you?” She asked. 

 “Of course.” He said. 

 Liz found his voice very attractive. She excitedly sat down across from him and smiled broadly at this charming stranger. They studied each other for a moment. 

 “I’m Elizabeth.” She said, her eyes twinkling as she smiled at him. 

 “Raymond.” He said, offering his hand. 

 She took his hand and it felt like they had an instant physical attraction.

 “Pleased to meet you.” She said.

 Red reluctantly let go of her hand, and Liz glanced downward in a coy manner.

 “It’s so good to meet you, Lizzie…” He said.

 Liz’s eyes flew up to his as he used this overfamiliar nickname; there was also something about his tone that suggested he’d been longing to meet her. She examined his face and tried to remember if they’d ever run into each other before. Her memory was blank and she realized if they had come across each other before, she certainly would have remembered. They stared at each other. 

 Liz scrutinized Raymond, taking in everything about him. She thought he looked like a lawyer. She took a big sip, trying to get some liquid courage. 

 “…Are you a lawyer?” She asked. 

 Red couldn’t help chuckling delightedly. He shook his head. Liz enjoyed hearing his laugh and seeing his bright smile. 

 “No, I’m not…” He said. 

 “I just picture lawyers sitting in bars, still wearing their suits after work…” She said, smiling at her own naivety. 

 “They do. But I am not one of them.” He said, without elaboration. 

 They sat quietly and listened to “No One Knows” by Queens of the Stone Age. Liz took another sip, finishing her drink. Red finished his scotch. 

 “What are you drinking?” He asked. 

 “Oh, um…Malibu and Coke.” She said. 

 “Isn’t that the stuff that tastes like sunscreen?” He said, smiling. 

 Liz smiled. 

 “Yep. It is.” She said. 

 “Let me get you a proper drink…” He said. 

 Red put his hand up and the bartender came over to their table, at the beckon call of the very rich man in the suit. Liz was impressed. 

 “A dry martini for the young lady, and a refill of your finest scotch.” Red said. 

 The bartender immediately went to fetch the drinks. 

 Liz was still staring, impressed. 

 Red smiled at her. 

 “So…Lizzie…what do you do?” He asked. 

 “I’m a student. I’m taking lots of different courses right now, but I’m interested in psychology.” She said. 

 “Excellent. Humans are…fascinating creatures, aren’t they? You should be very proud of yourself for attending university.” He said. 

 The bartender returned and Red handed him a wad of cash that appeared to be larger than necessary. The bartender walked away happily again. Liz never took her eyes off Raymond. 

 Liz tried her martini and she was pleasantly surprised. She smiled. 

 “Thank you.” She said. 

 “You’re welcome.” He said softly. 

 “…What do you do, Raymond?” She asked, very curious about him. 

 Red leaned back and shifted so he could cross his legs off to the side. 

 “I’m in finance…” He said vaguely. 

 Liz thought he looked far more interesting than what she imagined financiers to look like. She smiled at him. The bar got busier but Liz felt like she and Raymond were the only two people there; she was the center of his attention and vice versa. 

 “Do you like it?” She asked of his profession. 

 “Yes. It may sound boring, but it can get surprisingly complicated and interesting at times.” He said. 

 Liz watched him raptly as he spoke and then she was enthralled by the devilish grin he gave her. She felt a rush from interacting with this mysterious, attractive older man. Liz felt a bit naughty for spending time with him in a bar she wasn’t old enough to drink in. She gave him a coy look and smiled. Red could tell Lizzie was attracted to him and he felt very conflicted. He took a sip of his scotch. Liz took a sip of her martini. 

 The music in the background became apparent again and it was playing “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode. Red and Liz gazed into each other’s eyes for several long moments and then he smiled. Liz felt like this man was capable of pulling her heart out and crushing it—and it was wonderful. She returned his smile. 

 “What do you want to do with your degree?” He asked interestedly. 

 “Well, I just started…but I think I’d like to be a psychologist or a professor. I like clinical and forensic psychology.” She said. 

 Red smiled amusedly. 

 “That’s very interesting…do you think you’ll help lock up the bad guys as a forensic psychologist?” He asked. 

 Liz chuckled. 

 “Maybe.” She said.

 She noticed Raymond’s eyes glinting with amusement and she wondered why. 

 “I’m sure you’ll be very good at whatever you choose to do…the sky’s the limit, Lizzie.” He said. 

 There was that sense of familiarity again, and Liz studied him. 

 “Thank you…Raymond.” She said softly. 

 Red glanced at the clock on the wall and then back at Lizzie. 

 “Should you be staying out so late?” He asked. 

 Liz didn’t take her eyes off him. 

 “Why not?” She asked rebelliously. 

 Red raised an eyebrow.

 “I’m done my classes and all my homework for the week…” She said, coming across as much less rebellious all of a sudden. 

 Red smiled warmly at her. 

 “Do you live around here?” She asked, still very curious about this Raymond character. 

 “Yes.” He said, nodding. 

 Liz waited but he didn’t elaborate. 

 “I live in a dormitory…it’s so not cool. I bet you have a really nice apartment with a view.” She said. 

 “I do, as it happens…” He said. 

 Liz was excited to learn this and to be right about him. 

 “…with a wife, kids and a dog…?” She said, trying to sound neutral rather than cynical.

 Red got a serious expression on his face. 

 “No…” He said. 

 Liz felt like she said something wrong. 

 “…Sorry, I just…” She began. 

 “Don’t be. Let’s indulge ourselves and have another drink.” He said, gesturing to the bartender. 

 Liz watched Raymond order refills for them and the bartender went to get the drinks. They stared at each other until he came back to their table. Red paid him and he walked back behind the bar. 

 “Cheers.” Red said, holding up his glass. 

 “Cheers.” Liz said, and they clinked glasses. 

 They sipped their drinks and gazed at each other once more. Liz started wondering if she was letting this go a little too far; she thought about what her dad Sam would say if he knew she was sitting in some bar late at night, drinking with an older man. She blushed lightly and Red noticed Lizzie looked embarrassed. 

 “You didn’t offend me or anything…” He said to reassure her. 

 She smiled. 

 “Good…” She said. 

 The tension eased again and Red ran his fingers through his hair. Liz parted her lips and stared at him. He smiled at her and she blushed, realizing he caught her staring. They finished their drinks, just looking at each other and listening to the music in the background. 

 “Well, I should be going…please allow me to take you home, Lizzie.” He said. 

 Liz was floored. Was he propositioning her? Was he a drunk driver?

 “I’ll get us a taxi and drop you off first.” He clarified. 

 Liz felt relieved. 

 “I guess that would be okay.” She said timidly. 

 “Excellent.” He said, getting up. 

 Liz stood up quickly and she had to put her hand on the table for a moment. 

 “Are you alright?” He asked. 

 “Yep. Thanks…I probably shouldn’t have had that much to drink.” She said, following him out of the bar. 

 Liz was still suspicious that Raymond was a shifty stranger in disguise, but her fears were allayed when he hailed a taxi and opened the door for her. She got in and then Red sat beside her in the backseat. Liz told the driver where she was going and Red declined to say where he was going; he wanted to wait until they dropped Lizzie off. She was so curious about him, she turned toward him and spoke. 

 “Do you like that bar? Maybe we’ll run into each other again sometime.” She said, hoping she would see him again. 

 “…Yes.” He said, against his better judgment. 

 Liz smiled broadly and she felt excited. When they arrived at her residence, Red got out of the car. Liz wondered if he was being presumptuous. 

 “I’ll escort you to the door.” He said protectively. 

 “Oh…okay…” She said, and they walked to her door.

 Liz swiped her student card to unlock the door and she held it ajar while she turned to Raymond. 

 “I…hope to see you again, Raymond.” She said. 

 Red nodded and smiled. 

 “You too, Lizzie. I enjoyed spending time with you.” He said—once again, against his better judgment. 

 “Well…goodnight.” She said. 

 “Goodnight.” He said, then he stepped away but made sure to watch her get safely inside the building. 

 Red went back to the taxi, mentally kicking himself for getting so close to Lizzie.

 Liz went up the stairs toward her room and she was nearly squealing with excitement. She unlocked her door and went into her room. She closed the door and locked it and then she danced around excitedly. Liz let out an exhilarated sigh and then she changed into her pyjamas and got ready for bed. 

 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 


	2. Chapter 2

 Liz woke up in the morning and did a big stretch; she felt a little worse for wear from the alcohol but not too bad. Instead of going to the cafeteria, she just had a piece of bread with peanut butter on it and a juice box full of orange juice. She sat on her bed, thinking about Raymond. Liz was so glad she went to the bar last night. She smiled to herself and sighed happily. After lazing around for a while, Liz gathered her clothes and products and went into the communal bathroom. She got into one of the shower stalls and started washing her hair. When she lathered up her body wash and began washing herself, her mind kept going to Raymond. She washed between her legs and she felt excited as she thought about him, but a communal dormitory shower was hardly conducive to masturbation, so she dropped the idea.

 After showering and brushing her teeth, Liz ran into Chloe again. 

 “Hey! How was your night?” Chloe asked. 

 Liz beamed at her. 

 “Awesome!” Liz said. 

 “Oh…did you pick someone up?” She asked, eyeing Liz. 

 “No! I just had fun talking with some guy…” Liz said. 

 “Hmph.” Chloe responded, nodding. 

 Liz left the bathroom and went back to her room. There was a voicemail from Sam, so she called him back, but she had to leave a message, too. She told him she was doing well and she was done all her homework, and she loved him. 

 Liz finally went to the cafeteria, just for a coffee. She sat alone near the window and looked at the scenery. She wondered what Raymond was doing right now. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red was putting an unconscious man into the trunk of his—the man’s—car. He got into the driver’s seat and started it up. He wiped the steering wheel, gear shifter, door, everything he could’ve possibly touched and then put it in neutral. Red then got out and guided the car into the lake, leaving the driver’s side door open to fill it up faster with water. He watched it wade into the lake and very slowly start sinking. Red made sure it was completely submerged before taking out a handkerchief and wiping his hands. He put it back in his pocket and walked away. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz yawned and finished her coffee, then left the cafeteria. She decided to go downtown to explore the quaint boutiques. She took the bus there and strolled along the storefronts. Liz went into a used book store and enjoyed looking through all the amazingly cheap books. She was engrossed in a Nietzsche book as she faintly heard the chime of the door. She was flipping through the pages as she heard the floorboards of the old store creaking. Liz finally looked up and nearly dropped the book when she saw Raymond browsing through the books on display at the front of the store. He started chatting with the old man who owned the store. Liz realized how she wasn’t wearing makeup or any sexy clothes and she felt self-conscious; she cringed and wanted to go hide somewhere but it was too late. 

 Red acknowledged Lizzie with his eyes and he nodded as he listened to the store owner. She looked embarrassed and clutched the book she was holding. When the store owner finished talking, Red approached her. 

 “What are the odds?” He said, smiling. 

 “Yeah!” She said, laughing nervously. 

 “It’s good to see you again, Lizzie.” He said, gazing at her. 

 Liz felt slightly reassured. 

 “You too.” She said quietly. 

 “Do you have the day off?” He asked. 

 “Yeah…how about you?” She said. 

 “No. I met with a client earlier, but our business is finished.” He said, secretly referring to the man he left to drown in the lake. 

 “Oh, that’s handy. So you’re all done for the day now?” She said. 

 “Yes.” He said cheerfully. 

 Red glanced down at the book in Lizzie’s hands. 

 “Do you like Nietzsche?” He asked. 

 “Well, I don’t really know yet. I’m taking a philosophy course and when I saw this book, I thought I’d take a look at it.” She said. 

 Liz went to put it back on the shelf. 

 “Get it.” Red said. 

 He brandished some dollar bills. 

 “I’ll get it for you. What is it…a few bucks?” Red said. 

 “It’s twenty-five cents.” Liz said comically. 

 “Oh. Well, go find some others…have a heyday. I’ll pay the man.” Red said. 

 Liz laughed. 

 “Are you sure?” She asked. 

 “Absolutely.” He said, smiling. 

 “Okay.” Liz said, then she browsed through some more books. 

 She found some psychology books and brought them over to Raymond at the counter. He smiled at her. She smiled back and then looked at the store owner. 

 “It’s covered, miss.” The store owner said. 

 “Oh okay, thank you.” She said to both of them. 

 The store owner put her books in a bag and then she and Raymond left. They looked at each other. 

 “Where are you off to now?” He asked. 

 “Nowhere.” She said, shrugging. 

 There was a breeze and Liz had to push some hair out of her face; she noticed Raymond eyeing her like he was appreciating her beauty. Red was at war with himself; he was never supposed to get so close to Lizzie or even make himself known to her. 

 “…Would you like to have lunch with me?” He asked, having lost the war.

 Liz smiled. 

 “Sure…” She said. 

 “Great. There’s a little restaurant down there, within walking distance…here, let me carry that for you.” He said, taking the bag of books from Lizzie. 

 They walked side by side along the downtown strip and arrived at a very fancy restaurant. Liz felt too dressed down to even enter it. She looked nervously at Raymond. 

 “It’s fine…trust me.” He said. 

 Liz trusted him, so they went inside. She still kind of felt like a slob in her jeans and lightweight sweater, but the staff didn’t seem to mind. She watched Raymond being greeted like a celebrity by the workers and they gave him his ‘usual’ table. They received the menus and Liz was out of her depth. She didn’t know what to order, so Red ordered for them. They got some very expensive white wine and then their gourmet meal, including sea bass, which Liz didn’t know people even ate. 

 They enjoyed the meal but Liz especially enjoyed simply feeling more adult. Her eyes widened at the wad of cash Raymond handed to the server, then they got up and left. Red still carried Lizzie’s books for her, and she was looking at him admiringly as they walked back towards the book store where they met up. Liz realized she had the biggest crush she’d ever had; Raymond was unbelievable. He was attractive, charming, chivalrous, mature and he treated her like a woman instead of a girl. They stopped in front of the book store and looked at each other. 

 “Well…what would you like to do now, Lizzie?” Red asked. 

 “…I…have no idea.” Liz said. 

 Red smiled and chuckled. 

 “That makes two of us…” He said. 

 Liz surveyed Raymond and noticed he held her books captive, as well as her heart. 

 “We could hang out at my dorm, but that would be kind of ridiculous…” She said wryly. 

 Red smiled again. 

 “Would you like to come see my ‘really nice apartment with a view’?” He asked, quoting her from their conversation last night. 

 Liz giggled. 

 “Okay…” She said. 

 She felt nervous and she was wondering what on earth she was doing, agreeing to go to a stranger’s apartment, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. Red was wondering what on earth he was doing, inviting Lizzie to his apartment. He must have lost his mind. 

 Liz was surprised when Raymond gestured to a black car waiting close by. She gave him a puzzled look. 

 “This is my ride, Lizzie.” He said. 

 “You have a driver?” She asked incredulously. 

 “I do.” He said, going over to the car and opening the door for her. 

 Liz stared at him for a few moments, then she eyed the driver as she got into the backseat. Red got in next to Lizzie. The driver automatically started towards Red’s apartment. Liz watched the scenery out the window and then when they arrived, she gaped at the massive high-rise they parked in front of. She looked out Raymond’s window but there weren’t any apartment buildings. 

 “ _This_ is your apartment building?” She asked of the high-rise. 

 Red chuckled. 

 “Yes.” He said, getting out. 

 Liz opened her door and Raymond offered his hand to her. She took it as she got out, then he closed her door. He escorted her inside the building and greeted the concierge. He led Lizzie over to the elevators and they got in one. Red pressed the button for the top floor. Liz watched everything raptly. She felt nervous as they silently rode the elevator all the way up. She glanced over at Raymond a few times but mostly just stared at the indicator above the door. The screen showed “22” and the doors opened. Red walked slightly ahead of Lizzie and she followed him to his apartment. He unlocked the door and let her go in first.

 Liz was floored by the luxuriousness of everything, especially the view through the vast windows that seemed to be floor-to-ceiling. She felt compelled to go to the windows. Red watched her walk over and look at the cityscape, and he smiled. 

 “This is amazing…” She said quietly. 

 She then looked at Raymond who came up beside her. He smiled and nodded. 

 “I have the best view in the city…” He said as he gazed at Lizzie. 

 When she looked at him, he was innocently staring at the buildings off in the distance. Raymond sighed and looked like he was yearning for something. Liz fell for him a little harder. She smelled his cologne as he stood next to her and it was the best cologne she’d ever smelled; it was subtle, intriguing, masculine and extremely arousing. She felt like a horny teenager, and then she remembered she was a horny teenager. Liz gave Raymond a sidelong glance and felt shy all of a sudden. He was older and experienced—a real man, unlike the guys she knew in high school and now at college. 

 Red looked over at Lizzie and she was blushing and staring straight ahead. He smiled slightly and walked away from the windows. 

 “Can I get you anything, Lizzie?” He asked. 

 She turned around and looked at him, still blushing. 

 “Um…I don’t know. Are you having anything?” She asked. 

 Red stopped himself from smiling at her inexperience. It was adorable, but he didn’t want to make her feel self-conscious. 

 “How about we have a drink together?” He suggested, putting her at ease. 

 “Okay.” She said. 

 Red poured two small quantities of neat scotch as Lizzie came over to him. She eyed him and the glasses to make sure he wasn’t putting anything in it; Sam had warned her to be careful in situations like this one. Liz was relieved to see he was being very transparent about pouring the drinks and there was nothing sketchy going on. She took the glass from Raymond and smiled at him. 

 “Please, come and sit with me.” Red said, ushering her into the living room area. 

 They both stood in front of the sofa and Red sat down and he was pleased Lizzie sat down next to him. Liz took a sip of scotch and it burned a trail down into her stomach. She made a face and cleared her throat. She was impressed when Raymond took a sip and showed no reaction. 

 “How long have you lived here?” She asked. 

 “…Not long.” He said. 

 Liz realized she wasn’t going to get any more information out of him, so she spoke. 

 “I just moved here a few weeks ago to start university…” She said, alluding to her age. 

 She searched his face, fearing his judgment, but he didn’t seem surprised. He just smiled at her adoringly. She got very warm and she felt herself starting to blush. Liz looked down and stared into her glass. 

 “Do you feel homesick?” Red asked gently. 

 Liz thought about it and then looked at him. 

 “Yeah…actually, I do. Everything’s so new. It’s weird.” She said. 

 She watched Raymond as he nodded and looked serious. 

 “…I like to believe we carry our home with us, inside our minds and in our souls. Anywhere we live…that’s just…some place we inhabit.” He said. 

 Liz swallowed hard and felt emotional. 

 “And sometimes, when we lose track of home…we come across someone who shows it to us, as if they found it discarded somewhere…and they’ve come to return it to us.” He said. 

 Was he talking about her? 

 Liz looked into her glass again. 

 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 


	3. Chapter 3

 “And sometimes, when we lose track of home…we come across someone who shows it to us, as if they found it discarded somewhere…and they’ve come to return it to us.” He said.

 Was he talking about her? 

 Liz looked into her glass again. She thought about how profound that was and she wished she knew more about philosophy so she could address it. 

 “Did you get that from a Nietzsche book?” She teased, lightening the mood. 

 Red chuckled. 

 “No, it’s just something I’ve learned over the years…” He said. 

 Liz eyed him and took another sip. She felt nervous as Raymond turned towards her and put his arm on the back of the sofa. They gazed at each other, and Liz noticed how green his charismatic eyes were. Red studied her beautiful face and dazzling blue eyes. He then stood up and took his suit jacket off to get more comfortable. Liz raked her eyes over him and got nervous again when he sat down a little closer to her this time. 

 Red noticed Lizzie looked tense and he felt bad for making her uncomfortable. He casually moved back and crossed his legs. 

 “So what do you have to do for your clients?” Liz asked to break the silence. 

 Red smirked. He was amused by how inquisitive she was. 

 “Oh, various things…make sure they’re behaving themselves with their money, work on problem-solving, make deals, terminate accounts…” He said, all euphemisms for his true line of work, of course. 

 “Hm.” Liz responded interestedly. 

 They looked at each other again. Liz watched Raymond put his elbow on the back of the sofa and rest his head on his hand. He just stared at her for a few moments and then he smiled. Liz felt herself getting excited and horny again. She checked him out, including stealing a glance at the front of his trousers. Red saw her surveying him lustfully, and he was surprised; he thought perhaps he shouldn’t have given her alcohol. Come to think of it, he shouldn’t have invited her back to his apartment; he could handle Lizzie having a crush on him, but he wasn’t so sure he could trust himself. 

 “Raymond…” She said softly. 

 Red felt himself getting hard just from hearing this. 

 “Yes Lizzie?” He said. 

 “…Um…never mind.” She said. 

 He tilted his head and examined her expression. She looked coy but almost frightened. 

 “What is it, sweetheart?” He asked gently. 

 Liz looked up at him again, startled by the term of endearment. 

 “…I like you…” She said. 

 Red smiled warmly at her. His heart melted.

 “I like you, too.” He said, sincerely. 

 Liz smiled and started to relax. 

 “Do you have a boyfriend, Lizzie?” He asked boldly. 

 She blushed. 

 “No…” She said. 

 Red was pleased, and then he was mentally scolding himself; he noticed he was losing control. 

 “What about you…are you…single?” She asked him. 

 “Yes.” He said. 

 “But I think I’m too old for you.” He added, much to Liz’s dismay. 

 “No. You’re not.” She said. 

 “Am I too young?” She asked suddenly, looking worried. 

 Red looked at her sweet face and her worried, emotional eyes and his resolve crumbled. 

 “No…” He said. 

 Liz exhaled and smiled at him. Red wondered what happened to his self-control; he felt so weak and selfish for letting things get this far. He shifted on the sofa. 

 Silence fell over them and sexual tension crept in between them as they gazed at each other. Liz thought the smouldering look Raymond was giving her was swoon-worthy. She swallowed hard. Her stomach filled with butterflies and she nearly jumped off the sofa with anxiety when he came closer to her. Red found himself instinctively approaching Lizzie and bringing his face closer to hers. Liz was ecstatic as she anticipated Raymond’s kiss. She parted her lips and looked at him expectantly as he paused. Red’s conscience was screaming at him but it was so much quieter than his demons. He brushed his lips against hers. 

 Liz felt shaky and she nearly dropped the glass she was clutching. Red noticed, so he gently lifted the glass from her hands and put it on the coffee table without taking his eyes off her. Their lips were still delicately touching, and Lizzie seemed to be frozen, so he pressed his mouth to hers, forming an actual kiss. He felt her finally respond and return the kiss. Liz felt her heart racing and she was trembling lightly. She felt Raymond’s tongue gently slide between her lips and her panties instantly became wet. Red was intoxicated by tasting Lizzie and hearing the quiet whimper she made in her excitement. 

 They made out for a few minutes and then Red pulled away to look at Lizzie. She had an awestruck expression on her face and she was breathing heavily. He was pleased with her reaction and he smirked slightly. Red put his hand on Lizzie’s thigh and he felt her trembling. He then put his hand on her cheek and kissed her softly. Liz was craving Raymond, but she was nervous. She decided to push her limits by putting her hands on his shoulders. This was fuel to Red’s fire. He kissed her harder and she was putty in his hands. 

 Liz felt Raymond’s hands run down her back as they kissed and it caused a shiver along her spine. She was surprised when she felt his tongue gently slip in and out of her mouth; she whimpered and her panties got wet from another gush. She didn’t know a kiss could do that to her. Red broke the kiss, leaving her wanting more. They looked at each other lustfully and Liz felt like her body was buzzing with excitement. She wanted stimulation between her legs but she was too shy to make the next move. In his experience, Red could see how aroused Lizzie was and he put his hand on her thigh again; this time, he ran it upwards and inwards until he reached the very warm, damp center of her jeans. 

 Liz gasped slightly and parted her legs to give Raymond better access. She was blushing and sighing with pleasure as he pressed his fingers against her through the denim. Red couldn’t believe he was touching Lizzie like this, but it was overwhelmingly beautiful and sexy. He was extremely hard now, and he saw her glance down at the front of his trousers, which were tented. Liz timidly reached for his erection and she gauged his response as she touched and rubbed it through the material of his pants. She was pleased to see that Raymond closed his eyes in pleasure at the sensation; she must be doing something right. 

 Red revelled in Lizzie’s gentle touch and he was so turned on, he had to exert some effort to refrain from coming in his pants. He pushed firmly against her clit though the jeans and she moaned and became distracted. Red was a little relieved because he believed coming in his pants would be inexcusable for a man of his age and experience.

 “Lizzie…do you want to come into my bedroom?” He asked, no longer able to resist her. 

 “Yes…” She said nervously and she blushed. 

 Red was experiencing some serious self-loathing and conflict but once again, he couldn’t contain his demons; they were too strong. He got up and offered his hand to her. Liz put her hand in his and got up from the sofa. She followed him into the bedroom and then she was at a loss for what to do next, so she waited for his guidance. They stood close to each other and Liz watched Raymond unbutton his black shirt. She couldn’t believe she was doing this but she was too excited and enthralled to turn back now. His shirt fell open and he took it off. In her mind, Liz was squealing and dancing around but outwardly, she smiled approvingly at his body. 

 “Don’t be alarmed, but…I have scars on my back…I was in a fire.” He said. 

 “Oh…I’m sorry. That must have been awful. I was also in a fire, but I was rescued, so I only burned my hand and wrist.” She said, showing him her scar. 

 She saw Raymond smile, and his eyes twinkled as he seemed to adore her. 

 “May I kiss you again?” He asked softly. 

 Liz nodded and put her hands on Raymond’s chest as he kissed her; his skin felt hot. She explored his chest and abdomen and felt herself getting wet again. Red felt himself getting very hard again and he gently lifted Lizzie’s sweater. She let him lift it up and off her, although she was a little embarrassed that she wasn’t wearing sexy lingerie; she was wearing a girly pink bra and blue cotton panties. Red gazed at her bra and cleavage and he thought she looked edible. 

 Liz was getting progressively more nervous as Raymond undid his belt and trousers. She watched him take his pants and socks off and she felt her stomach tightening as she saw how far his boxers stood out with his erection. She took her bra off and then undid her jeans and took them off, then her socks. They stood looking at each other in their underwear. Red stepped closer and kissed Lizzie, then he gently pressed their lower bodies together. Liz put her hands on his shoulders as they kissed, and Red guided the tip of his erection down so he could nudge against her clit through their underwear. Liz whimpered into the kiss and she was so turned on.

 Red was thrilled Lizzie was responding to him the way she was. He slowly pulled her panties down and he saw a wet spot on the blue fabric; she then stepped out of them. She was so young and beautiful, it was astounding. He pulled his boxers down and noticed Lizzie blushing and biting her lip. Liz was eyeing his erection nervously and lustfully at the same time. She felt him get close and he nudged against her again, this time skin-on-skin, and she nearly fainted. 

 Red guided her backwards until she felt the bed behind her legs. Liz got on the bed and scooted back. Her heart was pounding and she watched raptly as he got on the bed with her. She hesitated and then spread her legs for him. Red looked down and then crawled overtop of Lizzie. He kissed her but then she broke the kiss. Liz decided it was now or never; she had to say something. She planned on not saying anything, but she was worried he would accidentally hurt her. 

 “Raymond, I’ve never done this before.” She blurted out, and then she cringed as she waited for his reaction.

 Red froze. He felt like he was about to corrupt her, sully her, taint her. 

 Noticing Raymond was still not saying or doing anything, Liz spoke again. 

 “Is that…bad? Do you not want to do it with me anymore?” She asked. 

 Red came to his senses—or went farther from them—and he couldn’t bear to resist Lizzie. He wanted her more than anything. Red also wanted to make her first time amazing; he couldn’t stand to think about someone else having this privilege. 

 “Of course I want to…I’ll be gentle and make it feel good…” He said softly. Then he kissed her again. 

 “Are you sure about this, Lizzie?” He asked, to make sure. 

 “Yes, Raymond. I’m sure.” She said. 

 Red’s heart melted again. 

 “Okay, sweetheart. Just tell me to stop if you don’t like something…” He said quietly. 

 Liz wondered what he had in store for her, but she was excited. She watched Raymond move down so his face was between her legs. She blushed furiously and gasped when she felt his mouth connect with her sensitive folds. Liz felt Raymond’s tongue dart out to taste her and it rubbed her clit, making her jump. She pulled back a little from the intense stimulation. Red stopped and looked up. 

 “Do you want me to stop?” He asked. 

 “No!” She panted. 

 Red smirked and went down on her again; he ran his tongue all over her intimate flesh, tasting her. He dipped into her opening and he had to take a moment to stop himself from coming as he felt and tasted the silky, creamy, slightly sweet fluid he was eliciting. Liz felt his tongue delicately licking her opening instead of pushing inside, so it felt good. She relaxed a little and then she felt him go back up to her clit. She moaned and pushed gently against his mouth. Red brought Lizzie to the verge of an orgasm and then stopped. He got on top of her and looked at her puzzled expression. 

 “Don’t worry, Lizzie…I’ll make you come…” He said. 

 Liz blushed again. She felt him rub against her and this was the first time she’d felt a man’s erection rubbing against her moist center. She nearly orgasmed from the sensation but then she felt Raymond position his tip at her opening. Liz got nervous again and she looked into his eyes. He kissed her and she tasted herself for the first time. Red nudged very gently, coating himself in the fluid there. He felt her tense up. 

 “It’s okay…I won’t hurt you.” He said quietly. 

 Liz nodded and put her hands on Raymond’s shoulders as he started to nudge inside. She gasped and tensed up again. Red waited and kissed her neck. Liz felt him waiting for her and she relaxed again and enjoyed his kisses on her neck. She noticed he went in a little further and it didn’t hurt as much because she was relaxed. She tried to stay relaxed, but it was difficult. Red nudged Lizzie’s tight walls again and she clamped down on him. Liz appreciated his patience as he waited again. She was scared of what it might feel like when he went all the way in, so she just couldn’t seem to relax. 

 Red reached down between their bodies and gently pressed on Lizzie’s clit with his fingertips. He moved his fingers in circles and went back and forth, and he was pleased to hear her moan. He felt her inner walls loosen and he was able to push in further. Liz realized it wasn’t as painful as she expected, so she smiled as she was finally able to relax. Red smiled warmly at her and kissed her. Liz was thrilled she was having sex, especially because it was with Raymond. 

 Liz experimented and pushed down a little, taking him inside all the way, and they were both surprised. 

 “Mm…Lizzie…” Red said, and he was rewarded with another push. 

 Liz sighed as Raymond began sliding out and back in; she tightened slightly but then she relaxed. Red couldn’t believe he was doing this with Lizzie but he couldn’t remember the last time he experienced something so pleasurable. They both moaned as he started thrusting at a slow but steady pace. 

 “Ohhh Raymond…” Liz hummed. 

 She was enraptured by feeling him move inside her. 

 “Do you like that, Lizzie?” Red asked, studying her face. 

 “Yeah…” She breathed, practically purring. 

 Liz was relaxed and getting used to the sensations he was giving her. Red’s movements became more lubricated and Lizzie was starting to really enjoy it. He quickened the pace slightly and watched her bite her lip and close her eyes. She still felt relaxed inside, so he could tell she was just concentrating. He thought she looked extra adorable, so he kissed her nose. Her eyes flew open and she giggled, which delighted him. 

 Red wanted to give Lizzie an orgasm, so he shifted and put his hand between their bodies again. He softly glided her breast and rubbed her nipple, which made her moan. Liz felt Raymond change his angle a little bit and put his fingertips on her clit. She’d never experienced anything like this sensation before, but it felt very good. She felt full from Raymond’s long, hard member moving inside while simultaneously feeling the exquisite jolts of pleasure from the stimulation to her clit. 

 “Oh my god…” She said breathily. 

 Red smirked and he was thrilled to be introducing Lizzie to such pleasure. She started breathing quickly and whimpering frequently and it turned Red on so much. He could tell she was getting close to climaxing. He watched her close her eyes again in concentration, trying to achieve release. Liz felt Raymond thrust faster and move his fingers very quickly on her clit. She suddenly got very vocal as the pleasure rapidly built in her. Red felt Lizzie’s fingernails digging firmly into his shoulders, but he loved it. He was getting closer to coming but he was focusing on making her come first. Liz got self-conscious about how long she was taking, and Red noticed her becoming more reserved. He kissed her neck and put his mouth to her ear. 

 “Just enjoy the ride, Lizzie…” He said. 

 She smiled as she realized she’d chosen the perfect person to give her virginity to; she was so glad she was doing this with Raymond and not some impatient jerk. Liz relaxed and concentrated on enjoying the sensations rather than trying to reach an orgasm; she was impressed by Raymond’s stamina. 

 Red was so lost in the pleasure of making love to Lizzie, he could just do this all night. He felt her clit becoming very firm under his fingertips and he heard her whimpering again. Suddenly, Liz cried out with a mind-blowing orgasm, and Red was somewhat taken aback. He felt her slippery inner walls clamping down on him in a rhythm as she squeezed him with her thighs and panted. Red let himself go and he thrust quickly several times and then came heavily, spilling inside Lizzie in spurts. Liz felt how slippery they were and she realized Raymond came inside her; she was thrilled and amazed at the feeling. 

 They both sighed and caught their breath and then they looked at each other. Liz beamed at Raymond. He smiled at her and kissed her over and over again. She giggled and then he very gently slid out of her, causing another new sensation. He lay down beside her. Liz’s mind was blown by everything that just happened: She just had sex for the first time, with a stranger who she seemed to fall in love with at first sight, and she’d had an orgasm, which was probably the most unexpected part of losing her virginity. 

 Liz turned to face Raymond and she couldn’t stop smiling. He returned her smile and brushed her hair away from her face. Liz put her hand on the bed between them, so Red put his hand over hers. He still had a hard time believing he’d actually just taken Lizzie’s virginity; he felt ecstatic and yet like he was going to be—and should be—struck by a bolt of lightning as punishment. Red was ashamed of his inability to follow his own rules; there was one simple line to avoid crossing at all costs and he just crossed it. 

 Suddenly, Liz felt a warm gush as her body released some of Raymond’s semen. She didn’t know that would happen; Red watched as she blushed and grabbed some tissues from the nightstand and put them between her legs, then he understood. He smiled at her. 

 “That’s normal, sweetheart.” He said reassuringly. 

 Liz still blushed, despite being reassured; she was embarrassed by her inexperience. Red, however, thought it was sweet. Liz got up and put the tissues in the garbage and then got back on the bed with Raymond.  

 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 


	4. Chapter 4

 Liz opened her eyes and everything rushed back to her; she was in Raymond’s apartment, in his bed, after they had sex. She felt her heart rate jolt and start racing. She looked over and saw Raymond was awake and gazing at her. He smiled gently and she blushed.

 “Hello, Lizzie..” He said quietly. 

 “Hi…” She said shyly. 

 Liz wasn’t sure what to do at this point; she felt so awkward, although she definitely had no regrets. Liz felt different this morning; she felt like a woman instead of like a girl. Red just stared at Lizzie to take in her beauty and adore her. For a moment, he felt like a terrible, despicable person for corrupting her. That was a painful feeling, so he immediately shoved it into a mental compartment and then it was gone. 

 “Would you like to stay for breakfast? If not, my driver could—“ He said. 

 “I’ll stay.” She said, interrupting him. 

 She smiled and he smiled back. 

 Red got out of bed and noticed Lizzie checking him out. He smirked and put on some sleep pants and an undershirt. Liz got out of the bed and put her clothes back on, minus her panties which she would just throw in her purse, then she hovered in the bathroom doorway, watching Raymond wash his hands and dry them on a fluffy towel. He smiled charmingly at her and walked into the doorway. He stood very close and kissed Lizzie on the nose before going into the kitchen. Liz smiled and felt ecstatic as she fixed her hair and washed her hands. She then went and joined Raymond in the kitchen. 

 Red prepared toast, fruit and coffee for them and they sat at the table together. Liz was smiling a lot and feeling very happy; she wondered where this relationship would go. She’d fallen so hard for Raymond already, and they didn’t even know each other’s last names. Lizzie’s bright, happy smiles were twisting the knife in Red’s heart, despite his extraordinary ability to compartmentalize things. He knew he never should have done this. He wanted to go back in time and remain unseen by her—and yet he would go back in time just to relive his time with Lizzie repeatedly. He knew there was no going back now and that he’d left a mark on her life forever. Red wanted to be swallowed up by the depths of hell, where he deserved to be, but he smiled contentedly at Lizzie. 

 After breakfast, they just stared at each other. 

 “Raymond…what’s your last name?” Liz asked timidly. She felt silly for asking after everything that happened. 

 Red figured there was no harm in saying it—she didn’t know anything damaging.

 “Reddington. What’s yours?” He said. 

 “Scott.” She said. 

 They both smiled and nodded. 

 “It’s a pleasure to meet you…officially.” Red said jokingly. 

 Liz laughed. 

 “You too.” She said. 

 “What are your plans for today, Lizzie?” He asked, half-hoping to spend more time with her and half-hoping he could let her go and just disappear from her life once more, for her sake.

 “Um…I don’t really have any plans. What are you doing today, Raymond?” She said. 

 “Nothing much…” He said. 

 They went quiet and looked at each other. 

 “…What would you like to do, Lizzie?” He asked. 

 Liz smiled and she felt relieved that Raymond wasn’t trying to get rid of her. 

 “I dunno. Anything.” She said. 

 Red contemplated things for a while. 

 “Perhaps my driver and I could take you on a tour of the city…” He offered. 

 Liz felt excited. 

 “That would be really cool. Thanks!” She said, smiling. 

 Red wondered what was wrong with him. He seemed to be deliberately making things worse for both of them. 

 “Great. We’ll do that then…” He said. 

 “…Do you mind if I have a shower here?” She asked. 

 “Of course I don’t mind. Help yourself, Lizzie.” He said. 

 Liz went into the bathroom, undressed and got into the shower. She curiously picked up the products and smelled them; they smelled fantastic, just like Raymond. She used them and then rinsed off. When she finished, she stepped out and picked up a big fluffy towel and unfolded it. Liz thought of how nice it would be to have a place like this someday, with luxury items, and maybe even a man very much like Raymond to share it with. She got dressed and went back out to find Raymond flipping through one of her psychology books she’d found at the used book store the day before. She smiled and felt an excited happiness swell inside her. 

 Red noticed Lizzie was standing there watching him, so he looked up at her and put the book down on the sofa. He smiled at her. 

 “It’s a good book…this William James fellow was brilliant. You should check it out while I go get ready.” He said. 

 Liz approached the sofa and Raymond got up and suddenly kissed her. 

 “I’ll be right back.” He said, then he went to get ready. 

 Liz sat on the sofa and started reading the book. She was lost in it when Raymond came back into the living room, wearing a suit. She thought he looked like a lawyer again. Liz smiled at him. 

 “Are you ready, sweetheart?” He asked. 

 “Yes.” She said and she put the book back into the bag and took it with her. 

 They sat in the backseat as the driver took them all over the city. Liz was captivated with everything but especially with Raymond as he talked and pointed things out to her. They drove through the outskirts of the city and along a waterfront. Liz thought it looked pretty, while Red was relieved to see there were no police vehicles and no sign of a floating body or car; this was the lake he’d drowned the man in yesterday. The driver continued in another direction. 

 After a long while, they pulled up to Liz’s dormitory. She glanced longingly at Raymond. 

 “I’d better let you get back, Lizzie. Your father—and mother—will be worried if they don’t hear from you.” Red said, almost slipping up. 

 Liz studied him. 

 “I guess I should call my dad…don’t worry, I won’t tell him anything about…us.” She said. 

 Red smiled gently. 

 “I think that’s a good idea.” He said. 

 Liz giggled. 

 “Can I have your number?” She asked. 

 “Of course, sweetheart.” He said. 

 Liz rummaged through her purse but she couldn’t find any paper, so she took a pen out and then grabbed the William James book from the shopping bag. Red watched Lizzie excitedly flip to the back page of the book and hand it to him; she was so sweet and precious. He took the pen and the book, and after hesitating for a moment, he wrote his phone number and just wrote ‘R’ instead of his name. He handed the book and pen back to her and she smiled brightly at him. Red felt reluctant to enter into a relationship with Lizzie for two reasons: he was never supposed to get close to her and she was so young and innocent. The way she looked at him, however, destroyed his resolve and he couldn’t resist her. 

 Liz gazed expectantly at Raymond, hoping for a kiss. He put his hand on her cheek and brushed his lips against hers, then he captured her pout in a passionate kiss. She blushed and felt warm between her legs. She never knew kisses could be so erotic, but Raymond showed her how. Liz was almost breathless when he pulled back; she was craving more. Red sighed and wished he could have her again, right now, in the backseat, but he refrained. 

 “Go call your dad, Lizzie.” He said, then he gave her a quick smile. 

 Liz stared longingly at him for a moment. 

 “Okay. I’ll call you soon…if you don’t mind…” She said shyly. 

 “I look forward to it…” He said, smiling. 

 As Liz got out of the car, Red was mentally scolding himself for not being able to resist her. He felt like a selfish fool, but he smiled at her when she turned back to give him a little wave. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz called her dad and they talked happily. She told him about her classes and how she discovered a cool bookstore, but nothing else. She felt slightly bad for keeping such a big secret from him, but she just couldn’t tell him about Raymond. After their conversation, Liz went to the cafeteria and sat with some acquaintances. She was smiling a lot and couldn’t stop thinking about Raymond, but she was especially reminded of him when she first sat down on the hard plastic chair and she felt a slight soreness from having sex last night. 

 “Another good night?” Chloe asked Liz, noticing her very good mood. 

 Liz grinned.

 “Yes…” She said. 

 Chloe raised her eyebrows. 

 “So who is he?” She teased. 

 Liz blushed and laughed. 

 “You wouldn’t know him…” She said quietly. 

 A guy walked past their table and eyed Liz, giving her a slight smile. She glanced at him and then at Chloe, who was agape. 

 “What?” Liz asked Chloe.

 “That guy is so hot…I think he wants you, Liz.” Chloe said. 

 Liz chuckled. 

 “Well, I’m not interested.” She said plainly. 

 Chloe was shocked. 

 “How could anyone not be interested in Tom Keen?” She asked. 

 Liz shrugged.

 “I dunno, I’m just not. Besides, I’m…with someone else.” Liz said, then she wondered if she was actually in a relationship with Raymond or not. 

 Liz hoped with everything she had that it wasn’t just a one night stand. When she went back to her room, she stared at Raymond’s phone number and itched to just grab the phone and call him, but she didn’t want to seem desperate. She sighed and tried to focus on putting project deadlines in her student planner for next week. It was Friday, and she really wanted to go out to the bar, especially if she could run into Raymond again. She was somehow able to finish writing in the planner and then she looked through her bottles of nail polish and chose the dark red. She sat at her desk and brushed on the sexy color. 

 Liz let her nails dry and then she rummaged through her makeup; she decided to apply some dark eye makeup and a subtle pink lipgloss. She left her hair loose and she fluffed it up a bit. Liz changed into a low-cut tank top that was designed to look like a corset, then she threw on a lightweight cardigan overtop. She put on her favorite jeans and then did some sexy poses in the mirror, checking herself out. She thought Raymond would be pleased. Liz picked out the shoes she wanted to wear and then grabbed her purse and keys. She locked her dorm room and headed off down the street to the bar. 

 The bar was busy, and Liz squeezed past quite a few people to get to the bar to order a drink. She ordered a dry martini and paid for it, then she looked around hopefully. Liz was thrilled to see Raymond sitting in the corner where he was when they first met. Red figured Lizzie would venture out to the bar tonight and he hoped to see her again, even though they’d only been apart for several hours. He just couldn’t get enough of being with her, and he had the feeling she shared that sentiment. They locked eyes and he smiled at her as she approached him. She was smiling brightly and he noticed her sultry makeup and outfit. 

 “Lizzie.” He greeted her, smiling. 

 “Hi Raymond.” She said. 

 “Please, sit.” He said. 

 Red gestured to the seat across from him, expecting her to sit there again but Lizzie suddenly scooted into the booth to sit beside him. He smiled and softly chuckled as he moved over for her. 

 “I like sitting next to you…” She said, blushing lightly. 

 Red’s heart swelled. 

 “I enjoy having you next to me, Lizzie.” He assured her. 

 Liz smiled at him. 

 They were sitting close, slightly turned towards each other and they were both enjoying the intimacy of the situation. Red noticed she was drinking a dry martini, which he introduced her to; she was just too adorable. 

 “So, what have you been up to during the…hours since we last saw each other?” Red asked, comically glancing at the clock on the wall.

 Liz laughed. 

 “Not much. I talked to my dad on the phone and had supper. I did some weekly planning stuff and got ready to come here. What about you?” She said. 

 “I worked with a few clients…then I went out for dinner and came here.” He said. 

 Red looked down at the table and saw Lizzie had painted her nails; she seemed to have dressed up for him. He ran his index finger lightly over hers, going over the glossy dark red nail. 

 “You look extra beautiful tonight, sweetheart.” He said, wanting to make her feel special. 

 Liz blushed and looked coy. She felt very special and sexy, and she was delighted Raymond appreciated her efforts. They looked into each other’s eyes and smiled. Red wanted to kiss her but he didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, so he refrained. Liz wished Raymond would kiss her; she was feeling too shy to make the first move. 

 Tom Keen walked into the bar and looked around as he waited for the bartender to pour his pint. He saw the sexy girl sitting very close to an older man and he felt jealous because he had a crush on her. 

 Liz and Red finished their drinks and because the bar was so busy, the bartender wasn’t able to come over to their table this time. 

 “I’ll go get the refills.” Liz said cheerfully, and she got up.

 Red surveyed her adorable butt as she walked away, then he noticed a young man gawking at her at the bar. Lizzie was waiting to order the drinks when the young man started talking to her. The way the guy was looking at her made Red’s blood boil. 

 “So…who’s the guy? Your dad?” Tom asked bitterly. 

 Liz was stunned for a moment. 

 “No! He’s my boyfriend.” She said firmly. 

 “Wow. I didn’t think you were the gold-digger type. Instead of ‘boyfriend’, I believe the term is ’sugar daddy’.” Tom said. 

 Liz blushed and turned away, trying to ignore him. 

 Red saw her reaction and he approached them. 

 “Can I have a word with you?” Red asked the young man. 

 Tom scoffed but then the older man’s vice grip on his arm was painful, so he went along with him. Liz watched Raymond’s body language turn very threatening, although they were now too far for her to hear what he was saying. 

 “You will stay away from her from now on, or I will personally eviscerate you with a butter knife, and if you don’t know what that means, go look it up.” Red said. 

 Tom knew what it meant, and he believed the man. Red let go of his arm. 

 “Psycho.” Tom said, but then he quickly left the bar. 

 The bartender poured out the untouched beer and took Liz’s order as Red came up beside her. 

 Liz looked at Raymond and studied him. 

 “You didn’t have to do that…” She said, wondering about his somewhat extreme methods.

 “…I don’t want to see you get hurt, Lizzie.” He said protectively. 

 “He was just being stupid…” She said. 

 Liz watched Raymond give her a quick smile, but he still seemed concerned. Red was lost in thought for a few moments, hoping the young man wouldn’t bother Lizzie anymore, but also thinking that he probably shouldn’t have let her see that side of him. 

 “Do you want to get out of here?” Red suddenly asked. 

 “Oh. Um…yeah, okay.” Liz said. 

 The bartender watched them leave and he shook his head as he dumped another two untouched drinks.

 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

 Liz was sitting in the backseat, glancing over at Raymond, who was silent and brooding. She wondered why Tom Keen bothered him so much and she also started to realize she didn’t really know Raymond at all. There was definitely more to him than meets the eye. She timidly reached for his hand, which brought him out of his reverie. Red felt Lizzie’s hand touch his and gently clasp it; he looked at her and his heart melted. He smiled again. Liz was glad to see Raymond’s charming smile once more, and she smiled in return.

 The driver pulled up to the apartment building and Liz and Red got out and he offered his arm to her. She smiled and excitedly put her arm through his and then he escorted her into the building. They greeted the concierge, who was the soul of discretion, but another worker eyed them skeptically. Red made a mental note of that person, and then they rode the elevator up to the top floor. Liz still held Raymond’s arm as they walked to his apartment; she loved touching him. 

 Red unlocked the door and let Lizzie in first, then he closed and locked it behind them. They stood there, just looking at each other for a few moments. Liz suddenly felt shy and nervous, but also excited. She wondered what Raymond had planned for her tonight. 

 “Would you like a drink, Lizzie?” He asked softly. 

 She smiled and nodded. 

 “Yes please.” She said. 

 Red poured a gin and tonic for her and a scotch for himself, then he approached her as she still stood, watching him. Their hands brushed as she took the glass and it felt exhilarating. They gazed into each other’s eyes for a moment. 

 “Please, come and sit, sweetheart.” Red said. 

 She followed him to the sofa and sat down. They were sitting close together and Liz felt warm and excited. She couldn’t help blushing. She looked down and just stared at her knees. Red noticed her coy demeanor and he found himself getting aroused. She was so beautiful and sweet, and he wanted to have her again. Red crossed his legs as he leaned back. Liz glanced at him. They sipped their drinks. 

 “So…um, Raymond…what are some of your favorite things?” Liz asked, trying to get to know him better. 

 Red had been afraid of this moment; Lizzie was getting more curious about him. He tilted his head and smiled at her. 

 “I enjoy travelling, reading…money…and spending time with _you_.” He said suavely. 

 Liz smiled and giggled. 

 “That’s it?” She asked. 

 “Yes.” He said plainly. 

 They stared at each other. 

 “What about you?” He asked. 

 “I like reading and learning things, listening to music, psychology, visiting with my dad...oh and I like to watch true crime shows.” She said. 

 Red smiled. 

 “True crime shows?” He asked. 

 “Yeah. I like learning about why people do the things they do, and about profiling criminals. I also like the endings, where they say how the criminals got caught.” She said. 

 Red raised his eyebrows and nodded; what was he thinking, getting involved with Lizzie? They belonged in two completely separate worlds. He noticed she blushed all of a sudden as he studied her face.

 “I…also love being with you…” She said quietly. 

 Red was further stunned; she’d just used the L word. He recovered and smiled warmly at her. Liz sipped her gin and tonic as she gazed at Raymond. She hoped maybe they would spend the night together again. They were silent for a while, so Liz was feeling a bit nervous. Raymond looked serious again. 

 “That guy at the bar…do you know him?” Red asked. 

 “No, I’ve just seen him around. He’s a student.” Liz said. 

 “Let me know if he bothers you again, okay?” Red said.

 “…Okay.” Liz said, feeling puzzled. 

 Red realized he was actually hoping for an excuse to tear the little bastard apart. He shifted his attention back to Lizzie. 

 “It’s getting late, sweetheart. Would you like to stay with me tonight?” He asked. 

 Liz smiled and felt very warm suddenly. 

 “I’d love to…” She said. 

 Liz was nearly squealing with excitement but she managed to contain it. She smiled brightly at him. They both finished their drinks and put the glasses on the coffee table, then they looked at each other. Liz noticed Raymond was giving her an intense look and she felt the warm tension of arousal forming in her lower abdomen and between her legs. She recalled how he made her feel and the pleasure he gave her last night and she wanted more. She wasn’t exactly sure of how to go about seducing a man, but she followed her instincts. 

 Liz moved closer to Raymond and brought her lips close to his while she put a hand on his chest. Red uncrossed his legs and got closer to Lizzie. He was already getting hard and then he felt her soft lips connect with his, so he gently pressed into the kiss. He heard her make a cute little sound that turned him on even more. Liz felt Raymond’s warm hands lightly rubbing her upper arms as they deepened the kiss. He was surprised when he felt her tongue slide between his lips; Lizzie was experimenting and it was exquisite. Red put his hands on her cheeks and passionately returned her kiss. Their tongues licked each other and danced sensuously.  

 Red put his hands on Lizzie’s waist and then her hips, causing her to moan softly into the kiss. He slid his hands under her butt and upper thighs, then strongly lifted her on to his lap. Liz was surprised but she instinctively straddled Raymond’s lap. He leaned back and pulled her against him so she could feel how hard he was. Liz felt the hard bulge in Raymond’s pants against her clit, and even through their clothes, it made her whimper. She put her hands on his shoulders. They looked at each other and Red delighted in seeing the pink in Lizzie’s cheeks, her luscious parted lips and lustful eyes. He pushed up against her and she whimpered again. 

 Liz was craving Raymond so badly, she started grinding her hips into him to rub her clit against his erection. She sighed shakily. Red was enthralled with Lizzie and how much she wanted him; he didn’t want to move, yet he desperately wanted to take her to bed. 

 “Let’s go into the bedroom, Lizzie.” He said quietly. 

 Liz smiled and got off Raymond’s lap. She bit her lip excitedly as he stood up and put his hand on the small of her back to guide her towards the bedroom. When they entered the room, Liz took her cardigan off and Raymond raked his eyes over the corset-style top she was wearing. She smirked, then she pulled it up and wriggled out of it as he watched. He noticed she was wearing a black bra this time and it was gently pushing up her delectable mounds. Liz smirked as she saw Raymond just standing there gaping at her. He snapped out of his daze and took off his suit jacket and his shirt while she gazed at him. When she saw Raymond undoing his belt, she took her shoes, socks and jeans off. Liz took off her bra and then pulled down her matching black panties—she wore sexier undies to impress him. Red saw a slight white stain in the panties from Lizzie’s fluid and he couldn’t wait anymore. He finished undressing. 

 Red got very close to Lizzie and ran his hands over her breasts, down her abdomen and to her hips. He kissed her passionately and she put her hands on his chest. Liz felt very wet and she was craving Raymond between her legs. She reached between them and lightly stroked his erection, which made him moan quietly as they kissed. He was thrilled she was so eager for him. He let his hand wander down between her thighs and he very gently caressed her delicate flesh. Red felt how wet she was as he lightly rubbed her; his middle finger slid between her folds at her opening and became coated with her fluid. He used his slippery finger to rub her clit and she whimpered and grasped his shoulders with both hands. She felt like she might orgasm right then and there.

 Red looked at Lizzie’s intense expression and he smiled. 

 “Are you ready, sweetheart?” He asked gently. 

 Liz nodded excitedly. 

 “Yes.” She said breathily. 

 Red smirked. 

 “Did you want to be on top this time?” He asked, still delicately stroking her with his finger. 

 “I…don’t really know what to do…” She said, blushing. 

 “I’ll guide you…” He said in a low voice. 

 “Okay…” She said. 

 They pulled apart and Liz watched Raymond lay back on the bed. He smiled warmly at her and she felt reassured as she got on the bed with him. She was still blushing, though. 

 “Now, get on me like you did on the sofa…” He said. 

 Liz eagerly put her leg over him so she was straddling his erection. She couldn’t resist rubbing against him, so she did it a few times, making them both close their eyes in pleasure for a moment. 

 “We could just do this if you want, Lizzie…” He said. 

 “No, I wanna feel you inside me again, Raymond…” She said. 

 Red was unbelievably turned on. 

 “Okay, sweetheart. Lift up and move back a little…” He said. 

 Liz followed his instructions. She watched him position his erection and she was slightly intimidated, but mostly excited. 

 “Come here…” He said. 

 Liz blushed as she moved up and positioned herself so she could feel his tip at her opening. She got a bit nervous again, but she pushed down slowly, taking his tip inside. She felt herself tensing up, so she breathed deeply and rocked up and down very gently and she was gradually taking him in further. Red luxuriated in feeling Lizzie’s warm, tight, slippery depth slowly enveloping him as well as watching her getting used to the feeling again. He felt so lucky to be with her, especially since this was only her second time. He couldn’t really believe she was giving him this privilege on top of giving him her virginity, but she was, and it was blissful. 

 Liz could tell Raymond was finally all the way in, and she paused. He rubbed her thighs and waited for her to adjust. He then ran his fingertips down her abdomen, which tickled her; she shuddered and giggled, which drove him crazy. She felt his fingers gently press on her clit in little circles and she moaned more loudly. Liz relaxed and felt so turned on, she started lifting up and pushing back down on Raymond. Red continued playing with her clit even as she moved, to give her more pleasure. 

 “Does that feel good, Lizzie?” He asked. 

 “Mmm…yes…” She said as she concentrated. 

 She experimented with grinding her hips, but she noticed that didn’t really make Raymond go in and out of her, so she lifted up and pushed down again. Red was lost in pleasure as he felt and saw Lizzie trying things out. He would happily let her experiment on him as much as she wanted. Liz moved up and down in longer strokes, still going slowly. 

 “Is this good?” She asked breathily. 

 “God yes…” He said intensely.

 Liz smiled and continued this way until she felt Raymond nudging up into her, trying to quicken the pace slightly. She moaned as his hands gently grasped her hips and he pulled her down onto him. Red was still gentle with Lizzie but he took control of their movements; she whimpered as he went faster. Liz felt the friction building from his quicker thrusts, but she was also very wet, so it felt amazing. Since his hands were on her hips, she craved the stimulation of her clit, so she used her own hand. She rubbed her clit quickly back and forth as he was thrusting into her. Red noticed her pleasuring herself, and he nearly came. He could feel Lizzie becoming tighter and heard her breathing heavily. She started whimpering. 

 “Ohhh Raymond…” She moaned. 

 Red was having difficulty prolonging this experience, but he managed to focus on giving Lizzie an orgasm first. He saw the enraptured concentration on her face and he knew she was close, so he went faster. Liz was suddenly overwhelmed by the constant pleasure and stimulation she was getting from Raymond and her hand. She cried out with her orgasm and Red let himself go. He thrust a few more times and then stayed deep as he spilled into her. They both moaned and relaxed as the pleasure died down, but then Red noticed Lizzie started experimenting again. She moved on him and felt how warm and slippery they were. She gasped and then made a surprised “oh” sound as she enjoyed the sensation. 

 “That feels so good.” She panted.

 Liz continued making Raymond slip in and out of her. Red was being overstimulated a little bit, but he wanted to please her so he let her carry on. She bent forward and put her hands on either side of his head. 

 “Can I keep going?” She asked, almost begging him. 

 Red gritted his teeth slightly as he tried not to squirm from the strong sensations she was creating. 

 “…Yes…” He whispered. 

 Liz kissed him and then she moved quickly as she got closer to another orgasm. Red was amused and thought Lizzie was turning into quite the little nympho. She suddenly whimpered and squeezed him with her thighs as she climaxed. He was taken aback but he loved watching her come. He kissed her as she stopped moving on him. 

 “Oh my god.” Liz said exhaustedly. 

 She was shocked by how much pleasure she’d just experienced; she had no idea sex could be this amazing. She finally—and shakily—got off Raymond and lay down beside him. They both sighed and rested. 

 Red felt Lizzie’s hand on his bicep, so he looked over at her and smiled. 

 “That was amazing…” She said quietly. 

 “It was.” He said. 

 Red studied her adorable, satisfied expression. 

 “Come here, sweetheart.” He said, holding out his arm. 

 Liz moved closer and snuggled up against him and he held her tightly. They relaxed and listened to each other’s breathing until they drifted off to sleep. 

 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 


	6. Chapter 6

 Liz woke up slowly and she realized she was still pressed against Raymond. She smiled before she even opened her eyes. Red woke up and heard Lizzie sigh contentedly, so he looked down at her face as she rested on his shoulder. She moved and looked up at him, smiling. He noticed her makeup had rubbed off overnight and she looked so sweet, young and innocent again. There was a pang of guilt inside him, but he shoved it away. He ran his hand down her bare back and she hummed her approval.

 “Morning, Raymond.” Liz said softly. 

 “Good morning, Lizzie.” Red said. 

 They both loved hearing their names from each other’s lips. Liz marvelled at the romance of the situation and of her relationship with Raymond. She couldn’t be happier. She looked up at him and beamed with happiness. Red saw how smitten she was with him, and he felt guilty again. He wasn’t supposed to get involved with her and he wasn’t sure where their relationship was going. He wondered what he had to offer her in terms of a life together. In spite of himself, he kissed her on the forehead. He tried to get up but she clung to him and whined. 

 “Come on, beautiful. Breakfast.” He said, firmly patting her bare butt cheek. 

 She laughed and got up. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 It was Monday morning and Liz was exhausted; she’d spent all weekend with Raymond, talking, making love, going to the used book store she liked, going out for meals together. Her eyelids felt heavy and she struggled to stay awake during the boring biology lecture. She kept wondering why on earth psychology majors had to take biology and she resented it. When the lecture finally came to an end, she left and was heading to her dorm to go back to bed when she nearly walked into Tom Keen. She made an exasperated “ugh” noise and tried to walk around him, but he walked with her. 

 “Elizabeth, right?” He said. 

 She barely nodded. 

 “I think you should know something about your boyfriend…” He said. 

 “Oh, not this again…” She complained. 

 “No no, it's…I think he’s dangerous.” He said. 

 Liz didn’t say anything. 

 “He threatened me.” He said. 

 Liz sighed.

 “Yeah, well, you were bothering me.” She said. 

 “Maybe, but you know what he threatened to do? He said he’d eviscerate me with a butter knife…you know what that means?” He said. 

 Liz had watched too many crime shows—including ones on Jack the Ripper—to not know what it meant. She stopped walking for a moment and looked at him. 

 “Yes, I know what it means. I’m sure it was just a threat…he was pissed off.” She said. 

 “I think he’s a psychopath.” He said. 

 Liz scoffed and carried on walking, and Tom walked with her again. 

 “He’s not a psychopath…and anyway, it’s none of your business.” She said. 

 “It _is_ my business, if he’s going to murder me.” He said. 

 “Well, don’t bother me, and maybe he won’t murder you.” She said cynically. 

 Tom shook his head and sighed in frustration and then he walked off in another direction, letting Liz walk the rest of the way to her dorm alone. Her conversation with Tom replayed in her head a few times until she reached her dorm, then she dismissed it. She went up to her room and put her book bag down. There was a voicemail from her dad, asking how her weekend was, and she felt guilty. She couldn’t tell him anything about Raymond, so that meant lying to him. Liz dreaded having to lie to him, but she forced herself to call him back. He was happy to hear from her and wanted to know how her weekend went, so she told him she tried a few restaurants and went back to the cool bookstore, which was all true. He asked if she was spending too much money, and she chuckled and told him no, which was also true—Raymond had paid for everything. They ended their conversation and Liz hung up. She got on her bed, pulled the blankets over her shoulder and quickly fell asleep. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 When Liz awoke, it was the middle of the afternoon and she had a class in an hour. She dragged herself off the bed and had a peanut butter and banana sandwich, then she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and fix her hair. She was brushing her hair when she saw Chloe enter the bathroom, and they looked at each other in the mirror. 

 “Where were you all weekend, Liz? Did you go home for a visit?” Chloe asked. 

 “No…” Liz said, racking her brains for what she should say. 

 “Oh, I see how it is. You and your new boyfriend spent the weekend together!” Chloe said excitedly. 

 Liz chuckled. 

 “…Maybe.” She said. 

 They then smiled at each other before Liz left. She went and got her book bag and she headed out to get to her classroom a little early. Liz was walking towards the building when she saw Tom Keen again; she wanted to avoid him, but he’d seen her and was making his way towards her. She walked quickly to get to the building, hoping she could use her class as an excuse to get rid of him. He walked alongside her and she was annoyed. 

 “What now?” She asked crankily. 

 “Charming. Anyway, it’s nothing really, I just wanted to say I enjoyed our chat earlier. Also, I figured you should know I haven’t been killed yet.” Tom said. 

 Liz sighed. 

 “That’s nice. I have to get to class.” She said. 

 Liz was relieved when he stopped walking with her and she was able to go to her classroom. She enjoyed the lecture on a few historical figures in psychology, then she walked back to her dorm. When she sat on her bed, she grabbed the William James psychology book and flipped through it to the back, where she stared at Raymond’s phone number. She smiled and felt excited as she looked at it. She even put the book to her nose and smelled the faintest hint of his cologne from when he held it and wrote his number. Liz sighed and slumped down on the bed. She wanted to call Raymond and be close to him, in his arms, in his bed. She felt aroused from just thinking about him. 

 Liz felt naughty as she pulled down her jeans and took them off, then took her panties off. She grabbed the phone and got on the bed, then she dialled Raymond’s number and lay on her back. Liz listened to the ringing and she felt a bit silly, but then he answered and his voice made her touch herself. 

 “Hi, Raymond…it’s Lizzie.” She said, in a sultry tone. 

 Red noticed she sounded very sexy. 

 “Hello, Lizzie…” He said, smirking to himself. 

 “What are you doing right now, Raymond?” She asked softly. 

 “I’m just about to get dressed for a meeting…” He said. 

 Red heard a soft hum from Lizzie. 

 “What are you wearing?” She asked, smiling. 

 “Just my boxers, at the moment.” He said, very amused. 

 He heard a breathy moan and he got even harder. 

 “Lizzie, what are you doing?” He asked. 

 Liz blushed and smirked. 

 “…I’m playing with myself…” She said.

 She had her legs spread apart and her fingers were slowly, tantalizingly pressing on her clit in circles. 

 Liz heard a sigh from Raymond, and she bit her lip. 

 “Mm…Do you have _any_ idea what you do to me, Lizzie?” He said. 

 Red decided his meeting with an associate could wait. He pulled down his boxers and relaxed on the bed. 

 “Tell me, Raymond…what do I do to you?” She said, wanting to hear all the explicit details.

 “You’re going to make me late for a meeting, for starters…” He said. 

 Liz giggled, and Red delighted in hearing it. 

 “What else?” She asked. 

 Red started stroking his erection.

 “You make me unbelievably hard, and I crave being inside you…” He said. 

 Liz whimpered and her fingers moved a little faster. That was exactly what she wanted to hear. 

 “Are you…touching yourself, too?” She asked timidly. 

 “Yes, sweetheart. I’m picturing making love to you, and feeling your tight little body around me…” He said. 

 Liz whimpered again, and Red’s hand moved faster as he listened to her. She slid her middle finger inside and it was coated with her fluid as she moved it in and out. 

 Red heard her moan. 

 “What are you doing now?” He asked. 

 “I put my finger inside…but it’s not the same. I wish I had you inside me…” She said. 

 Red nearly came. 

 “Just do what feels good, Lizzie…” He said. 

 Liz decided her finger didn’t compare to Raymond, so she withdrew it and used the wetness to lubricate the rubbing on her clit. She started whimpering and trembling. 

 “Oh…Raymond…I’m so close. I want you to come with me.” She said breathily.

 They both went faster and then Liz heard Raymond moan, which pushed her over the edge into a very strong orgasm. She kept rubbing her clit as she enjoyed the waves of pleasure, and Red was somewhat surprised by how powerfully he came, making a bit of a mess. They both sighed with satisfaction. 

 “You are so sexy, Lizzie…you’re incredible.” He said, smiling lightly. 

 Liz blushed and giggled. 

 “So are you. Can I see you again soon?” She said eagerly. 

 Red was worried about how smitten she was with him, but he couldn’t resist her. 

 “Yes…how about tomorrow?” He said. 

 Liz smiled and let out a sultry sigh. Red revelled in hearing the sounds she made. 

 “That sounds good. I finish class at two-fifty.” She said, still smiling. 

 Red had a strange feeling, like he was dating a high-schooler; he closed his eyes and shook his head. Although Lizzie was not in high school right now, she was fresh out of high school. He felt slightly dirty once again. 

 “Okay, sweetheart. My driver and I could pick you up after your class…which building is it in?” He said. 

 “Um, you know that tall building that’s like, across from the Beans cafe? I dunno if that makes sense.” She said, then she giggled.

 Red still had that strange, dirty feeling. 

 “Yes, I know it. I’ll be out front of it for two-fifty. Okay?” He said. 

 “Okay.” She said. 

 “Well…have a lovely evening, Lizzie.” He said softly. 

 “You too, Raymond…bye.” She said. 

 “Bye.” He said, then they hung up. 

 Liz sighed loudly and happily sprawled out on the bed. Red got up from his bed and had to have a shower—again—to get ready for his meeting. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 It was 2:48 p.m. and Red was relaxing in the backseat of the sedan, waiting for Lizzie’s class to finish. He surveyed the buildings and students and then he spotted the infuriating young man who was bothering Lizzie at the bar; he seemed to be loitering. Lots of students emerged from the building and Red saw Lizzie walking towards the cars on the front road. He also saw the young man approach her and walk alongside her. She glanced around nervously and didn’t look at the young man. Red felt like his blood was boiling again. 

 Liz was worried that Tom would get another warning from Raymond, if not worse, if they were seen together. She wished he would just leave her alone. 

 “My boyfriend’s picking me up.” She said firmly to Tom. 

 Tom slowed down. 

 “Fine.” He said, and went off in another direction. 

 Liz saw the black sedan with tinted windows, and she went over to it. The door opened for her and Raymond shifted over to the other side so she could get in the backseat with him. She smiled at him and put her book bag down in front of the seat. 

 “Is he still bothering you?” Red asked. 

 “Oh, it’s not too bad. I think he thinks we’re going to be friends or something.” She said. 

 Red was very annoyed. 

 “Do you want to be friends with him?” He asked. 

 “No. He’s an ass.” She said. 

 Red felt a little consoled.

 “Where would you like to go? Are you hungry?” He asked.

 “Um, I could go for a coffee and maybe a muffin.” She said. 

 He thought she was adorable.

 “Alright. I’ll take you to a _nice_ cafe.” He said, in a tone that suggested they wouldn’t be going to the cafe across the street.

 “Not Beans?!” She asked, pretending to be incredulous. The cafe across from her classroom building was run down and crowded with students.

 Red chuckled. 

 “No. Not Beans. There’s a quiet little cafe I like. I think you’ll enjoy it.” He said. 

 Liz smiled and nodded. 

 They drove off toward a very upscale cafe, where they sat in a cozy corner, away from other customers. Red smiled as he watched Lizzie order her coffee and muffin from the server, then he ordered an espresso, and the same kind of muffin Lizzie got. The server walked away and Liz blushed as she realized Raymond was staring at her the whole time. 

 “…What?” She asked timidly. 

 She saw his eyes twinkle as he smiled, but he just shook his head slightly. 

 “Nothing.” He said. 

 Liz felt like Raymond was engrossed in adoring her; it made her self-conscious but also ecstatic. 

 “It smells so nice in here.” She said, breaking the silence. 

 “It does. I enjoy coming here.” He said. 

 Liz was pleased to find out what Raymond’s favorite cafe was, since she didn’t really know anything about him, even now that they were in a very intimate relationship. She smiled at him. Red wondered what he’d done to deserve this, and he couldn’t think of anything. He felt like he didn’t deserve Lizzie, but he was relishing every second he spent with her. Suddenly, he felt like that ridiculous young man was encroaching on his territory, and he was ashamed of the jealousy burning inside him. 

 “What’s that guy’s name, anyway? The one who bothers you.” He asked. 

 The server came and delivered their coffees and muffins, then left. Liz waited until she was alone with Raymond again. 

 “Tom Keen. Why?” She said. 

 “Just curious.” He said. 

 Liz eyed him but then he smiled warmly at her and they sipped their coffee. They sat quietly and enjoyed their meal, but Liz wondered about Tom’s comments; was Raymond really dangerous? Would he do something to Tom? 

 “By the way, Lizzie…your tuition for the rest of your schooling is paid for.” Red told her. 

 Liz gaped at him. 

 “You’re going for four years, correct? Well, it’s covered.” He said. 

 Liz still gaped at him, then she started blushing. 

 “What?!” She asked incredulously, while Raymond calmly put his cup down on the saucer.

 “I thought you’d be pleased.” He said. 

 “What am I—“ She began quite loudly, then she glanced around and lowered her voice. 

 “What am I supposed to tell my dad?!” She asked. 

 “I looked into it. He’s not paying your fees; you get grants, loans and bursaries.” He said. 

 “So, what, I’m supposed to lie to my dad and pretend to get grants, loans and bursaries for the rest of my degree?” She asked. 

 “You are getting bursaries…from me. You don’t have to tell him who your…benefactor is…” He said. 

 Liz was stunned, but she realized there wasn’t anything she could do now that Raymond paid the university in advance; plus it was actually very generous of him. She decided to go along with it. 

 “…Okay…” She said quietly.

 Red was glad she accepted it. 

 “Thank you, Raymond…I don’t really know what else to say.” She said. 

 He just smiled at her. They were finished, so Red handed a wad of cash to the server and they left the cafe. They looked at each other.

 “Where would you like to go now?” He asked. 

 Liz gazed at Raymond and she questioned how wise it was to be in a relationship with someone like him, especially someone she didn’t know anything about. But she was so in love with him, it hurt. 

 “Your apartment…?” She said shyly. 

 He smiled and guided her into the backseat of the car.

 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs that inspired this chapter.
> 
> “The Sky is Crying” by Gary B.B. Coleman: https://youtu.be/71Gt46aX9Z4
> 
> “I’ll Fall With Your Knife” by Peter Murphy: https://youtu.be/CvUDS-xYNu8
> 
> PS. I always write about how hypnotic Red's eyes are, and I love James Spader's eyes, but speaking of stunning, hypnotic eyes...Peter Murphy (of Bauhaus)!!! ;)

 Once inside Raymond’s apartment, Liz went over to the windows and surveyed the city. Red was concerned something was bothering her, so he went and stood beside her the way he had on Lizzie’s first time there. They gave each other a sidelong glance.

 “Is anything wrong, Lizzie?” Red asked softly. 

 “…That Tom guy…” Liz began. 

 Red clenched his jaw. 

 “What about him?” He asked. 

 “He said some things about…you.” She said quietly, still not looking at Raymond.

 Red felt his blood pressure rising. 

 “What did he say?” He asked. 

 Liz finally turned to face him. 

 “Well…he said you might be…dangerous.” She said timidly. 

 Liz was curious about Raymond and she wanted to know if there were skeletons lurking in his closet; he did seem too good to be true. 

 Red expertly forced down his anger and gave her a charming smile. 

 “He’s just angry because I told him to stop bothering you.” He said. 

 “…Is that what you told him?” She asked. 

 “The phrasing might have been slightly different.” He admitted. 

 They looked at each other and Liz felt drawn to Raymond as he smiled at her. She stopped caring about stupid Tom and the stupid threat. She smiled shyly at Raymond. Red noticed Lizzie’s mood lightened and she was looking at him with her big blue, hopeful eyes and her cheeks turned slightly pink. He was now familiar with that look; she wanted to be kissed and touched and taken to bed. He wanted to make all her cares in the world disappear, and he knew he could. 

 Red gave her a smile but then he went over to the CD player. Liz watched him avidly, wondering if he was going to come back to her. He put on “The Sky is Crying” by Gary B.B. Coleman and then returned to Lizzie. He stood very close in front of her and gently put his hands on her waist. Liz smiled broadly and blushed as they swayed very slowly and gently. She felt this was incredibly romantic; she lightly rested her hands on the front of his shoulders, partly on his chest and she delighted in feeling his warmth under the soft shirt. She’d never heard anything quite like this song before, and she was awestruck. Liz had also never had a man put music on and spontaneously start dancing with her; it was wonderful. She didn’t think it was possible to fall any more in love with him, but she was just proven wrong. 

 They smiled gently at each other and gazed into each other’s eyes as rain started hitting the windows. Red was thoroughly enjoying wooing Lizzie with some romance. She looked coy at times, when she glanced down and then back into his eyes. She was so beautiful and precious. Red slid his hands down to gently hold her hips and their bodies got closer as they swayed. They were both glad the song was so long. Liz felt her cheeks get warmer as their lower bodies brushed against each other. As they danced, she felt he was getting hard and her breathing became slightly heavier with excitement. They brought their lips close and then kissed softly. 

 Liz loved feeling Raymond’s warm, soft lips move over hers and she hummed her pleasure. Liz pressed into the kiss and ran her hands down Raymond’s chest, and she felt him pull her closer. She felt how hard he was and it made her wet; she was craving him between her legs. Red saw how lustfully Lizzie was gazing at him and he got even more turned on. 

 “Raymond…” She said softly. 

 “Yes, Lizzie?” He asked quietly, studying her face. 

 “Can we go in the bedroom?” She asked hopefully. 

 Red couldn’t help grinning. 

 “Of course.” He said gently. 

 Liz smiled and she felt a little embarrassed for being so forward, but she was extremely aroused. Red was pleasantly surprised by how horny she was for him. He put his hand on the small of her back and they walked to the bedroom. They looked at each other and Liz nervously undid the buttons on Raymond’s shirt while he smiled at her. His warm hands went to her waist and then her back as she worked on the buttons. His shirt fell open and then she reached for his belt, which she undid. Liz looked up again and saw that Raymond was amused and enjoying having her undress him, so she undid the button on his pants and pulled the zipper down. She paused and took her top off and then her jeans. Red noticed Lizzie was wearing a girly pink bra and matching panties and he was reminded of how young and inexperienced she was. He captured her lips and gave her a very slow, gentle, loving kiss. She felt weak in the knees and she put her hands on his bare chest, between the gaping shirt. 

 Red felt Lizzie’s hands exploring his chest, so he took his shirt off while still kissing her. Her hands eagerly wandered over his chest and abdomen, then she put one hand into his trousers to rub him through his boxers. She heard him sigh with pleasure and she wanted to give him more pleasure. Liz pulled down his pants and his boxers. Red got out of them and watched Lizzie take off her bra and panties, then she looked at him shyly, biting her lip. 

 “Can you…lie down on the bed?” She asked. 

 Red smiled at her and nodded. He got on the bed and lay back, wondering what Lizzie wanted to do. He propped himself up so he could watch her. She got on the bed and knelt beside him, looking nervous. Liz was nervous, but she decided she wanted to go for it, so she grasped his erection and bent down to take it into her mouth. She tried to go down as far as possible, but she ended up gagging, so she pulled back. Red felt bad and wanted to guide her. 

 “Here, sweetheart…just go part of the way and use your hand…” He said, gently taking her hand and guiding it so she grasped his base. 

 Liz blushed at her own inexperience but she wanted to try again, so she did as Raymond suggested, and it was much better. Red closed his eyes and exhaled with the intense pleasure. It was all the more arousing that Lizzie had never done this with anyone before; she was giving him another of her firsts, and it was heavenly. Liz felt like she was getting the hang of this, so she relaxed and when she heard Raymond moan quietly, she felt a warm gush at her opening. Red watched Lizzie and noticed she was very enthusiastic, including instinctively arching her back slightly and parting her legs with arousal. He delicately put his hand on her wrist as she stroked him. 

 “Lizzie…” He said quietly as he held her wrist. 

 Liz stopped and looked up at him. 

 “Was that okay?” She asked. 

 Red’s heart melted. 

 “Yes! It was amazing.” He said emphatically.

 Liz was reassured by his sincerity. 

 “But I want to make love to you…if that’s what you want…” He said. 

 Liz whimpered excitedly. 

 “Yes, Raymond. I want you so bad…” She said earnestly. 

 In her mind, Liz was still surprised that she enjoyed sex this much; she didn’t really expect to, when she was still a virgin. 

 Red smirked and sat up. He put his hand on Lizzie’s upper arm and he kissed her deeply, then he gently encouraged her to lay on her back. She gazed lustfully at him and got comfy on her back, then she spread her legs very wide. Red looked down at her exquisitely moist folds and he ached to bury himself in her, but first he wanted to taste her. Liz moaned when she felt Raymond put his mouth over her inner lips and gently suck them. 

 “Oh my god…” She said breathily. 

 Red shared that sentiment; she was incredibly wet. He moaned against her and he pointed his tongue so he could slide it between her inner lips to her opening. The slightly sweet taste and the sheer extent of her wetness were dizzying. He heard Lizzie breathing heavily and he couldn’t wait any longer. He rose up and got on top of her; she clearly couldn’t wait any longer either, because she bucked her hips to rub her clit against his erection. Red rubbed along her wet center and then positioned his tip at her entrance. 

 “Are you ready Lizzie?” He asked. 

 “Yes. Very!” She said emphatically. 

 Liz was ecstatic when she felt Raymond push his tip inside; it felt extra good because she was so incredibly aroused. She ran her hands up his biceps and grasped his shoulders while pulling him closer. He pushed in further and they both moaned. Liz felt Raymond gently nudging inside. Red was gently rocking with Lizzie to coat himself in her fluid and let her adjust. He felt her loosening up and so he went all the way. He gently kissed her lips and then her neck and he heard her moaning breathily with pleasure. Red loved hearing the sounds Lizzie made during sex. He licked her neck and he was rewarded with another soft moan. 

 They found the perfect rhythm together and Liz was nearly writhing in pleasure as she met Raymond’s thrusts. The apartment was silent since the song finished and they could hear the patter of rain against the bedroom window along with each other’s heavy breathing. The romance and pleasure of it all made Liz blush and Red adoringly observed the pink flush appearing on her cheeks and slightly on her neck and chest. He watched her eyes close and her hair get messed up against the bed as they moved together. 

 “Raymond…that feels so good…” She murmured as she grasped his shoulders more firmly. 

 “Mmm…Lizzie…” He quietly moaned as he kissed her earlobe.

 They were lost in each other and the bliss for a long time, but then they both felt the need for release. Red quickened the pace and Lizzie suddenly brought her legs higher up at his sides; he was surprised but enthralled. She felt Raymond go deeper and faster and she was getting close to climaxing. She started panting and whimpering, and this heightened their pleasure. They reached their orgasms at the same time, so as Lizzie’s depth squeezed him, Red spilled heavily into her. As they gradually climbed down from the peak of bliss, Liz realized how firmly she was clinging to Raymond. She moved her hands down to his biceps and saw marks from her fingernails on his shoulders. 

 “…Sorry…I hope I didn’t hurt you…” She said, embarrassed. 

 Red smiled and gently shook his head. 

 “No, sweetheart…I liked it…” He said suavely. 

 Liz smiled and giggled quietly. 

 They kissed and he stayed on top of her and inside her as they gazed into each other’s eyes. Liz thought Raymond’s eyes were unbelievably hypnotic and she’d thought that since the first time they locked eyes in the bar. Red felt like he could drown in the blue oceans of Lizzie’s eyes. 

 “You are _so_ beautiful.” He said.

 Liz beamed up at Raymond. 

 “And you’re _so_ handsome.” She said. 

 He smiled in return and kissed her on the nose, making her giggle again. She thought it was funny he seemed to love kissing her on the nose. Red slowly, gently withdrew from Lizzie and lay down beside her. Liz looked at Raymond and then moved closer to snuggle up to him. She sighed contentedly as he put his arm around her. She rested her cheek on his shoulder and felt him hold her a little closer. Red kissed Lizzie on the head and felt her put her hand on his chest and her leg over his. He smiled. 

 The rain carried on hitting the window and Red watched it streaming down the glass as they relaxed together. He felt Lizzie’s warm body against him and he allowed himself to feel happy. They listened to one another’s breathing and Liz wished they could stay this way forever. They cuddled for a long while, then they got out of bed, dressed again and washed up. Red made them supper and Liz was impressed. They then sat together in the living room. Liz wanted to be closer to Raymond, so she curled up on the sofa and squished herself against his side. He chuckled and put his arm around her. 

 “Are you cozy, sweetheart?” He asked, amused.

 “Yeah.” She said as she smiled. 

 Red wondered what her class schedule was. 

 “When is your next class, Lizzie?” He asked. 

 Liz didn’t want to be brought back to reality. She sighed. 

 “Tomorrow morning at eight-thirty.” She said. 

 “…Do you have homework?” He asked, feeling a bit dirty for some reason. 

 “No, I finished it already.” She said. 

 “Good. I wouldn’t want to interfere.” He said. 

 “You’re not.” She said, chuckling. 

 “What class is it tomorrow?” He asked. 

 “English literature.” She said unenthusiastically. 

 “That should be interesting.” He said. 

 “Not really. I mean, I’d rather just be taking psychology and criminology courses.” She said. 

 Red was reminded of their very different paths in life, but he found it amusing, so he smiled. 

 “What do you have to do tomorrow, Raymond?” She asked. 

 “Oh, nothing much…” He said. 

 “Do you have to work every day?” She asked. 

 “…No…” He said. 

 “Where’s your office, anyway?” She asked, realizing she didn’t even know where he worked. 

 Red had been dreading this; he sighed briefly and Lizzie pulled back to look at his face. 

 “I don’t really have an office…” He said.

 Liz was puzzled. 

 Red couldn’t elaborate at this time. 

 “I just meet with clients whenever they need me.” He said, mentally kicking himself for being a coward. 

 “Oh.” She said, still puzzled. 

 “Yes, it’s quite a luxury…” He said. 

 “So you’re like…your own boss?” She said.

 “…Yes.” He said. 

 Red was relieved when Lizzie rested against his shoulder again and stopped asking questions, but he wondered if he should tell her more about his true self. 

 “Lizzie…” He said quietly. 

 She pulled back and looked at him again, noting his serious expression. 

 “What’s the matter?” She asked. 

 “…There are some things you don’t know about me.” He said. 

 “There are lots of things I don’t know about you!” She said, smiling briefly. 

 He gave her a quick smile.

 “I realize that. I’m…not the person you think I am.” He confessed. 

 Liz moved back a little and felt worried. 

 “What…?” She asked. 

 He sighed again. 

 “I’ve done some bad things…I _do_ …some bad things.” He said. 

 Liz swallowed hard. 

 “…Like what?” She asked, although she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer. 

 “Like…illegal things…” He admitted. 

 Her eyes widened. 

 “Okay, I don’t think I want to know any more…” She said. 

 Liz had things running through her mind like fraud and embezzlement. 

 “…Maybe that’s for the best…” He said quietly. 

 Liz stared at Raymond and wondered what she’d gotten herself into. 

 “…I have to go.” She said, feeling sick and anxious. 

 She stood up from the sofa and started feeling faint. Red put his hands on her back and arm to steady her; she didn’t look well. 

 “I’m sorry, sweetheart.” He said. 

 Liz took a deep breath and felt slightly better. 

 “I’m gonna go, Raymond…” She said, walking away from him. 

 Then she turned back. 

 “Not forever. I just…need some time to think.” She said. 

 Red felt terrible and he just watched her walk away and then he heard the door open and close. He didn’t know what he was expecting to happen, but this felt awful. He got up from the sofa and swore under his breath, then he went and put “The Sky is Crying” on again. Red went to the window and watched the rain still falling. He worried he might not see Lizzie again. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz got back to her dorm and her stomach was still in knots; she felt so conflicted. Raymond was the love of her life but he admitted to being a criminal. She was interested in profiling criminals and helping to put them away. She curled up on her bed and her mind was racing; what has Raymond done? For how long? Did it make him a bad person? She wondered if she loved him unconditionally, and what that would involve. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Hours had passed since Lizzie left and Red felt lonesome as he got undressed to his boxers and got into bed. He could smell Lizzie’s shampoo scent on the pillow and bed, and he tossed and turned for a while. He heard a knock on his door, so he got up and grabbed his handgun from the nightstand drawer. Red went to the door and looked through the peephole to find Lizzie standing there. He opened a nearby drawer and hid his gun in it, then he opened the door. She was soaked from the rain that never let up. 

 “How did you get here, Lizzie?” He asked, surveying her appearance as she stepped inside.

 Red closed the door and locked it. 

 “I got a bus, but I got off at the wrong stop and had to walk for a while.” She said, shivering slightly. 

 “Oh, sweetheart…” He said, and he approached her. 

 Liz stayed still and let Raymond embrace her; she revelled in feeling his warm body. Red felt how cold and wet she was, but he didn’t really care; he just wanted to hold her. After several long moments, he pulled back and looked at her face. 

 “I couldn’t stay away...” Liz said quietly. 

 Red studied her face and let her continue.

 “I wanna be with you, Raymond…I’m in love with you.” She said, with her eyes becoming glassy. 

 Red’s heart wrenched at her words and the sweet, sad expression on her face. He suddenly put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her firmly. He kissed her a few times and then looked at her. 

 “I love you, Lizzie.” He said softly. 

 The tears threatened to escape Liz’s eyes, but she smiled at Raymond. 

 “Let’s get you out of these wet things…” He said, gently pulling her faux leather jacket off. 

 Liz pulled her top up over her head and tossed it on the floor. Then she took her shoes, jeans and socks off. She shivered again, so Red rubbed her arms and then guided her into the bedroom. He grabbed a towel for Lizzie’s hair and she used it, then she took her bra and panties off. Red decided to take his boxers off so they could be naked together, then he got into bed. He held the blankets up and she got in and immediately snuggled up to him. Red pulled the blankets over her, all the way up to her ear and then he wrapped his arms around her. Liz sighed contentedly as she started to relax and warm up. He felt her stop shivering and he smiled. She curled towards him and tucked her head under his chin. After a while, Lizzie’s breathing was steady and quiet and Red knew she’d fallen asleep. He felt content again and he was able to drift off to sleep, too. 

 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

 Liz had a solid, restful sleep and then she awoke feeling very warm and comfortable. She was laying on her front, right beside Raymond, who had his hand on her back. He was already awake, and when he saw her open her eyes, he rubbed her back.

 “Hello, Lizzie.” He said softly. 

 She smiled and turned onto her side to face him. 

 “Hi…” She said. 

 “Did you sleep well?” He asked as he slowly ran his fingertips over the curve of her waist and hip. 

 “Yeah…did you?” She said. 

 “Yes.” He said. 

 They gazed at each other and smiled. They both noticed the sun was coming in through the window. Liz suddenly bolted upright. 

 “What time is it?!” She asked, worried about missing her class.

 “It’s seven-thirty.” He said, smirking. 

 “I’ve got class in an hour!” She said, getting out of bed. 

 “It’s okay, I’ll take you to your dormitory so you can get a change of clothes and your books, and then take you to whichever building your class is in.” He told her as he also got out of the bed and approached her. 

 They looked at each other’s bodies and Liz blushed lightly. 

 “Let’s have a shower together…” Red said. 

 “Okay…” Liz said, staring into his eyes; Raymond was very persuasive.

 Red led Lizzie into the bathroom and turned the water on. He made sure the temperature was perfect, then he turned to her. He raked his eyes over her beautiful naked body, then he watched her step into the shower. He got in with her and they smiled as they enjoyed being in the warm spray together. They faced each other and still smiled lightly as they began washing. Liz delighted in the scent of Raymond’s products and watching the lather drip down his chest. Her eyes followed the lather and water downward as Raymond had his eyes closed and was rinsing off. She checked out his nude body and counted her lucky stars. Liz excitedly giggled. Red opened his eyes to look at her and she was biting her lip. 

 “What?” He asked, smirking. 

 “Nothing…” She said shyly. 

 She felt excited as he gave her a devilish grin. 

 “Were you checking me out?” He asked, moving closer.

 “Yeah, I was…” She said, then she chuckled. 

 Red found Lizzie irresistible, so he kissed her passionately. They were finished showering but he didn’t want to get out yet. Liz was puzzled and surprised when Raymond suddenly knelt down in front of her, but then she felt his mouth latch onto her and his tongue started rubbing her clit. She felt weak in the knees and put her hand on the wall for support. 

 “Raymond…I’ve got class…” She said half-heartedly. 

 Red paused. 

 “This won’t take long…” He said, then he continued his efforts. 

 Liz closed her eyes and relaxed; she forgot about class and enjoyed the pleasure. She moaned, which encouraged Red to move his tongue more quickly and firmly over her clit. His hands were on her thighs and he could feel her trembling. He felt how firm her clit was from his attentions and heard her whimpering. Liz felt Raymond’s hands move up and caress her hips while his tongue went faster. 

 “Oh god…” She moaned. 

 Liz was suddenly overwhelmed with an orgasm, and her knees nearly buckled. Red felt her quivering and heard her whimpering with the waves of pleasure and he was immensely gratified. She shuddered, so then he pulled away and stood up. Liz noticed his erection and she smiled mischievously. She knelt down in front of him.

 “Lizzie, you don’t have to—“ Red said. 

 “I want to.” She said firmly, then she quickly took him into her mouth, also grasping him with her hand. 

 Red noticed Lizzie definitely had the hang of it now. He put his hand on the wall and he sighed heavily with pleasure. Liz moved over Raymond with a slow but steady rhythm for a while, then she felt him gently nudging into her mouth, so she quickened her pace to satisfy him. He moaned and lightly stroked her wet hair. She was excited and encouraged by his moan. She eagerly continued at this quick pace and felt him caress the side of her head. 

 “Mmm…Lizzie, I’m going to come…” He said. 

 Liz was thrilled and a bit curious about what it would feel and taste like, so she kept going. Red pressed his hand firmly against the wall for support as he felt the intense pleasure. He moaned as he started coming. Liz was surprised by the quantity as he was gushing into her mouth; she kept swallowing it, noting the slightly salty taste. This was the first time she’d tasted a man’s semen, so she hadn’t known what to expect. Raymond relaxed and there seemed to be nothing left, so she gently pulled away and looked up at him. He had a very relieved expression on his face, and he smiled at her. He held his hand out for her so she took it and he helped her up. 

 Red enjoyed seeing Lizzie’s somewhat astonished expression and her pink cheeks. He put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her sweetly, then he turned the water off. They got out, dried off, and hurriedly got dressed. Red made a very brief call to his driver and luckily for Liz, the car was already waiting by the time they exited the apartment building. They got into the backseat together, and before driving off, the chauffeur turned around and handed them a tray with two coffees and two croissants. Liz was astounded but pleased. They thanked him and then he started driving.

 After a while, and once they were finished their breakfast, they pulled up to Liz’s residence. She quickly got out, rushed into her room, got changed and grabbed her English lit book and book bag. Then she hurried back to the car. She smiled brightly at Raymond, who returned her smile. 

 “All set, sweetheart?” He asked. 

 “Yep!” She said. 

 The driver continued their journey further into the campus. 

 “My class is in the building across from the Beans cafe.” She told the driver, who nodded. 

 Red smiled as he studied Lizzie. They arrived out front of the building, so Liz excitedly turned to Raymond. 

 “I’ll call you later, okay?” She said, then she opened the door. 

 “Okay.” He said.

 Red was amused when Lizzie turned back and quickly kissed him before leaving. He watched her go into the building. 

 “Alright, let’s go to our next location.” He said, as he had some business to conduct.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was glad when the class finished, but her glee was ruined when Tom Keen joined her as she left the building. 

 “Hey, Elizabeth. How’s your boyfriend? Still homicidal?” Tom said. 

 “Fuck off, Tom.” She said very firmly, glaring at him. 

 Tom just chuckled, but he let her walk away. He loved teasing her and getting a reaction out of her; she was cute when she was angry. 

 Liz went back to her dorm and reviewed her notes. She started wishing she was already finished university so she could have a career and not have this stupid stuff get in the way of being with Raymond. She sighed, but then she snapped out of it and got back to work. After reviewing and making sure she understood the gist of the Chaucer poem, Liz went to the cafeteria for lunch, where she sat with Chloe. 

 “How’s everything going, Liz?” Chloe asked. 

 “Good! Well, except for biology and English lit.” Liz said. 

 Chloe chuckled. 

 “Yeah, I’m like that with philosophy.” Chloe said. 

 “I don’t mind philosophy, actually.” Liz said. 

 “Oh, maybe you can give me some tips sometime.” Chloe said. 

 They chuckled and Liz nodded. 

 “So…how’s the boyfriend situation?” Chloe asked. 

 Liz grinned. 

 “Good…” She said. 

 “No details?!” Chloe said. 

 “Well…we’re…in love with each other.” Liz said, smiling. 

 “Aww! A whirlwind romance, huh?” Chloe said. 

 Liz blushed as she realized how incredibly fast her relationship with Raymond had developed. 

 “It’s okay. Is this your first love?” Chloe said. 

 “Yeah…” Liz said. 

 “The first love is always the most intense. I had my first love in grade eleven; it was awesome, but it didn’t last very long.” Chloe said. 

 “Oh…” Liz said, wondering and hoping very much that her relationship would last. 

 “Sorry. I’m not trying to scare you.” Chloe said, then she chuckled. 

 “That’s okay…” Liz said. 

 “…By the way, Liz…you know Tom Keen…well, he said your boyfriend is quite a bit older than you? Just…be careful, sweetie.” Chloe said, reluctantly broaching the subject.

 “What’s that supposed to mean?” Liz said defensively. 

 “It’s just that…older guys sometimes get with young chicks and string them along. Meanwhile, they’re married or just having a midlife crisis or something.” Chloe said. 

 Liz gaped at her. 

 “First of all, ‘midlife’? That’s a bit excessive, in my boyfriend’s case. And anyway, he’s not married, and he’s not stringing me along.” Liz said, still feeling defensive. 

 “Okay, I just want to make sure you look after yourself.” Chloe said. 

 Liz sighed. 

 “I am. I will, don’t worry.” She said, then she gave Chloe a brief smile. 

 Liz was perturbed but mostly because she was enraged by Tom Keen’s blabbing. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Back in her dorm room, Liz picked up the phone and called Raymond. 

 “Hello?” He answered. 

 “Hi Raymond, it’s Lizzie…” She said. 

 “Hello sweetheart. Is everything okay?” He said. 

 “…You said to let you know if Tom Keen bothered me…” She said.

 “Yes.” He said.

 “Well, he’s bothering me.” She said. 

 Liz heard Raymond sigh exasperatedly, and she wondered if she did the right thing by telling him. 

 “What has he done?” He asked, concerned.

 “He’s been blabbing to people about you and I…” She said.

 “…Alright, Lizzie. Thank you for telling me.” He said. 

 Liz listened and waited for him to say something else, but he didn’t. 

 “So…” She probed.

 “Don’t worry…I will handle this.” He said. 

 Liz felt her stomach tighten as she thought about what he might do. She didn’t want Raymond to do anything bad. 

 “What are you going to do?” She asked. 

 “…I’ll have another word with him.” He said. 

 Liz wasn’t convinced, but then she thought about infuriating Tom was. Did she really care what happened to him? She realized she was only concerned about Raymond getting in trouble for doing something criminal to Tom. 

 “…Okay.” She said. 

 Red was relieved she didn’t push the issue. 

 “…Thanks, Raymond…” She said softly. 

 “You’re welcome.” He said. 

 “I’ll talk to you again soon.” She said. 

 “Alright sweetheart.” He said. 

 “I love you.” She blurted out instinctively. 

 “I love you, too, Lizzie.” He said. 

 They paused for a moment and then hung up. Liz felt nervous again as she wondered what Raymond would really do. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Tom Keen walked around the corner of a building and had the wind knocked out of him before he could tell what was happening. He was shoved back against the brick wall by his throat, which felt like it was being crushed. He realized Elizabeth’s psycho boyfriend held him by the throat. Tom started having trouble breathing. 

 “I told you to stay away from her.” Red said. 

 Tom couldn’t say anything. 

 “This ends now. Either you go away, or you die here in the alley.” Red said. 

 He loosened his grip enough to obtain an answer from Tom. 

 “Okay!” Tom croaked. 

 “Okay what? You want to die?” Red said.

 Tom’s eyes widened.

 After cruelly toying with Tom, Red shoved him to the ground and released him. Tom recovered for a couple of minutes as Red watched. 

 “Where am I supposed to go?” Tom asked. 

 “Anywhere, as long as it’s not here.” Red said. 

 “I have a life here. I’m a student, I have a part-time job. What do you expect me to do?” Tom asked, slowly getting up. 

 “Here.” Red said, and handing him an envelope. 

 Tom was puzzled and very reluctant to take it. 

 “Just _open_ it.” Red said warningly. 

 Tom opened the envelope and found a driver’s license, passport and wads of cash. He gaped at the items and then at the man in front of him, who was clearly insane. 

 “This will allow you to go somewhere else. If you don’t take it, you die. If you take it and _don’t_ do as I say, you die. Now, what would you like to do?” Red said. 

 “…I’ll take it and leave…” Tom said. 

 “Good boy. Allow me to take you to the airport.” Red said, wanting to ensure Tom Keen really leaves. 

 Tom was so confused but he didn’t see much point in arguing, so he just nodded. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 As Red was being driven home from the airport, he felt like he should have just killed Tom. On the other hand, he’d handled it this way so that he could tell Lizzie he didn’t do anything to Tom, and he wouldn’t be lying. He started thinking about Lizzie and how beautiful she was, inside and out; he would do anything for her. He was lost in thought when he arrived back at his apartment building. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 That night, Liz had lots of homework, so she stayed in her dorm room and concentrated on getting it done, although her mind frequently went to Raymond. She was up late, finishing a report on the absurdly long Chaucer poem, and she yawned as she massaged the cramps out of her hands and wrists from typing on the desktop Sam had given her. She printed the report and got into bed, but she felt lonesome. Liz realized how hard she’d fallen for Raymond as she wished she could spend every minute of every day with him and sleep beside him every night. She sighed and thought about him as she dozed off. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz awoke slowly and did a big stretch. She opened her eyes and started smiling because she had a free day today. She excitedly got out of bed, gathered her towel, products and clothes and went into the bathroom to have a shower. As she washed, she vividly recalled the unbelievably sexy shower she'd had with Raymond. Liz smirked to herself and sighed. Once she was finished, she went back to her room and picked up the phone. She called Raymond, not being able to go any longer without seeing him, but there was no answer. Liz was disappointed but she decided to get out and distract herself. She went to a nearby diner for breakfast—and for a break from the cafeteria—and then she started walking back to her dorm when a car pulled up close to her and slowly followed. Liz glanced over and saw Raymond in the backseat through the open window. 

 “Can I give you a ride, Lizzie?” He asked suavely. 

 Liz nearly whimpered at the innuendo. She smiled and nodded, then she got in and sat next to Raymond as he moved over for her. 

 “Hi…” She said, beaming at him. She’d missed him so much. 

 Red was delighted with Lizzie’s response to him. 

 “Hello, sweetheart. It’s so good to—“ He was saying, but she began kissing him. 

 Liz was kissing Raymond passionately and urgently, and she heard him make an “mm” noise in his surprised pleasure. He was very pleasantly shocked as he felt Lizzie advancing on him in the backseat and grasping his suit jacket. Red leaned back and smiled into the kiss in amusement as she was practically on top of him. Liz finally pulled back and caught her breath, and she enjoyed seeing the astonished smile on Raymond’s face. 

 “Did you miss me?!” He asked. 

 Red watched the lustful expression on Lizzie’s face become more intense. 

 “Yes.” She said breathily, then she kissed him again. 

 Red thought she might ravish him right there in the car and he was thoroughly enjoying the experience. 

 “Lizzie…sweetheart…where did you want to go?” He said, between kisses. 

 “Come to my room with me. It’s closer.” She said. 

 “You heard the lady.” Red said to the chauffeur. 

 The car pulled up to Liz’s residence and she led the way as they went in. Red felt silly in the dormitory but his concerns disappeared when he looked at Lizzie’s adorable butt as she went up the stairs in front of him. They went into her room and Red smiled at the ridiculously small mattress; it was barely a single bed. Liz read his expression and she shook her head dismissively. 

 “I know. We’ll just have to make it work.” She said. 

 Red chuckled, but then his attention quickly focused on Lizzie as she started taking her clothes off. He watched her and he started undressing. They gazed at each other as they got naked, then Red lay back on the bed; judging by Lizzie’s ravenous expression, she wanted to be in charge this time. Liz got very excited when she saw Raymond lay on his back on her bed. She raked her eyes over him and felt herself getting more wet in anticipation as she looked at his erection. She eagerly straddled him and leaned forward to kiss him. They kissed deeply while Liz started rubbing against him. She whimpered into the kiss and they both closed their eyes with the pleasure. 

 Liz broke the kiss and gazed down at Raymond, taking in his handsome face and mesmerizing eyes as she ran her wet center along his length. They both felt her coating him with her wetness, and they couldn’t wait any longer. Liz lifted up, grasped Raymond’s erection and guided herself down onto it. She pushed down, and they both moaned as he slid inside. Red was surprised that Lizzie managed to take him in all the way in one smooth motion. He knew she was extremely aroused, and it was glorious. Liz was also surprised she was able to push down all the way so quickly. She started slowly moving on him, still leaning forward so they were face to face. Red studied Lizzie’s beautiful face and put his hands on her back, then he trailed down to her thighs on either side of him. She touched her nose to his and then brushed her lips against his. He captured her mouth in a heated kiss. 

 Liz felt Raymond strongly thrust up into her and she was propelled forward into a harder kiss. She broke the kiss and giggled, which delighted him. Red did it again, and saw Lizzie close her eyes and moan. Liz wanted more of that, so she brought herself upright and pushed down more roughly on Raymond. He was taken aback for a moment, but then he indulged her and grasped her hips to thrust more forcefully. She started whimpering with each thrust, and he was concerned he was hurting her, but then she put her head back and closed her eyes in pleasure. Red was surprised again, but incredibly turned on. 

 Red watched Lizzie raptly as she was almost bouncing up and down and he had to effortfully hold back from coming. He somehow managed to focus on giving her pleasure. She started panting and arching her back, and her thighs got tighter on him. Liz concentrated on the sensation of Raymond’s very hard member quickly moving in and out, and relentlessly rubbing her inner walls. She suddenly tensed up and cried out loudly with her orgasm, which made him come. Red was overwhelmed with pleasure and he repeatedly spurted into Lizzie’s tight, wet depth. 

~ ~ ~ ~

 Out in the lounge area, Chloe thought she was the only one home in the dorm but then she heard a cry of pleasure. She raised her eyebrows and looked around, then she carried on reading her textbook. 

~ ~ ~ ~ 

 In Liz’s room, she and Raymond were catching their breath and smiling at each other. She excitedly pounced forward, putting her hands on either side of his head. She grinned and kissed him while his hands ran up her back. They kissed for several moments, and then pulled apart to look at each other. 

 “I’m so in love with you…” Liz whispered. 

 “I’m so in love with you, too.” He whispered in return, as he pushed her hair back. 

 Red held her hair and her cheeks as he kissed her a few times. Then they both sighed with satisfaction and Liz gently got off him. There wasn’t much room, but Liz squished herself against Raymond and was half on top of him. They both chuckled quietly and relaxed like that for a while. 

 Later, Liz and Raymond emerged from her room and she blushed as she saw Chloe sitting on the sofa in the lounge area. Chloe gaped at them; she surveyed the man in the suit and wondered how on earth Liz had gotten all the luck in the relationship department. Liz saw the look on Chloe’s face and she now felt more smug than embarrassed. 

 “Raymond, this is Chloe. Chloe, this is Raymond.” She said, introducing them. 

 Red shook hands with Chloe.

 “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He said. 

 Chloe blushed and smiled at him. 

 “Nice to meet you.” She said. 

 Chloe stared at them as they walked to the door and she saw Raymond lovingly put his hand on Liz’s lower back. When they left, she fanned herself with a piece of paper for a few moments to cool down. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red had decided to take Lizzie on a shopping trip to spoil her, so they were in a clothing store. Liz was trying on clothes and she put on a short black pencil skirt and a navy blue silk blouse. She loved the outfit and she could picture herself wearing it for presentations or meetings. Red was sitting on a chair when he saw Lizzie come out of the changing room in a lovely sophisticated outfit. His jaw dropped and she giggled. She turned around slowly to let him check her out, which he did—thoroughly. Liz was pleased Raymond liked the outfit as much as she did, if not more so. 

 “I think I’ll get this one…” She said, smiling. 

 “Absolutely.” He said. 

 Liz changed back into her jeans, t-shirt and faux-leather jacket, then Raymond paid for her new outfit. The sales clerk eyed them in a prudish manner with raised eyebrows. It annoyed Red, but Liz just smirked. They walked in front of a shoe store and Red figured Lizzie would need shoes to go with her skirt and blouse, so he ushered her into it. She smiled and looked around at the shoes. A pair of shiny black kitten heels caught her eye, so she checked the size of the ones on display and they were her size. She went and sat on the bench and took her regular shoes and socks off, but then she saw Raymond kneel down in front of her. He took the heels out of her hands.

 “Allow me…” He said. 

 Liz blushed as he lifted one foot and put the shoe on, then the other. This got some more looks from salespeople, and even a couple of customers. Red was practically worshipping at Lizzie’s feet, so he was too focused on her to care about what other people thought. He looked up at her and she was blushing and smiling at him. 

 “Try them out, sweetheart.” Red said, then he stood up and offered his hand to her. 

 Liz took his hand and got up. The heels were surprisingly comfortable and she could walk fine in them. She looked at them in the mirror and thought they looked really sexy and adult, so she turned to Raymond. 

 “Can I get them?” She asked. 

 “Of course.” He said. 

 “Thank you.” She said. 

 Liz sat on the bench and she was surprised when Raymond knelt to take them off for her. He carefully put them in the empty box while she put her socks and shoes back on. They took them to the counter and the salesperson told them it came to two-hundred and twenty-three dollars. Liz cringed, but that was nothing to Red, so he gladly handed over the cash for Lizzie’s adorable shoes. When they left the store, Liz tugged Raymond’s sleeve.

 “I didn’t know they were that expensive…” She said. 

 Red was amused. 

 “You don’t have to concern yourself with that, Lizzie. Seriously.” He said. 

 Liz just gave him a small smile. 

 They made their way down the hall and came upon a lingerie store. They both eagerly went in and Liz started browsing for some naughty things she could wear when she was with Raymond. She grabbed a bunch of stuff and Red happily paid for it. He couldn’t wait to see the items on her. 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For no specific reason, other than it's cool to listen to, this chapter was inspired by the song “Blind Trust” by Cabaret Nocturne: https://youtu.be/NX4beZd1MBc
> 
> Also, I just needed a villain for this story and what better villain in a Lizzington fic than Tom Keen? :P

 Liz woke up in her own bed, alone. She had to do some assigned readings last night, so Raymond dropped her off to her dorm after their shopping trip. She looked at the alarm clock and she’d woken up a few minutes before her alarm. Liz turned it off and then stretched. She felt her period cramps and she was relieved the pill was working. She got up and got ready for the day, then she grabbed her book bag and started walking to class. Liz noticed she didn’t run into Tom on the way like she normally did; she was glad but she wondered if that meant Raymond had done something to him.

 Liz’s biology class went better this time; it was less boring because she learned about some neurological diseases that she could relate to psychology. The walk from her classroom to the cafeteria was uneventful. She had lunch there and went back to her dorm, still without spotting Tom. Liz picked up the phone and sat on her bed to call Raymond. 

 “Hello?” He answered.

 “Raymond, I’m glad you answered…” She said. 

 “Hi Lizzie…what’s the matter?” He said. 

 “Well, nothing, really…but…I haven’t seen Tom Keen. I normally run into him, and I was wondering…” She said, trailing off.

 “…If I did something to him.” He said. 

 “…yes.” She said. 

 “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I didn’t kill him, if that’s what you’re thinking.” He said. 

 Liz thought his tone sounded like he thought this was a normal conversation. She just waited and listened. 

 “I spoke to him and told him to go elsewhere.” He said. 

 “Elsewhere?” She asked. 

 She heard Raymond sigh.

 “Yes. I don’t know where he’s gone exactly, but he got on a flight to Amsterdam.” Red admitted.

 Liz was dumbfounded. 

 “What…? How do you know?” She said. 

 “Because I put him on the flight, Lizzie. I made it possible for him to go away and leave you alone.” He said. 

 There was a long pause while Liz tiredly rubbed her forehead in disbelief and confusion. 

 “…I thought you’d be pleased that I didn’t murder him.” He said bluntly. 

 Liz scoffed slightly. 

 “Yeah, I guess this is better than the alternative…but was all that really necessary?!” She said. 

 “It was. You should know that I will go to great lengths to keep you safe and happy, Lizzie…” He said softly. 

 Liz softened a little. 

 “Okay…” She said quietly. 

 “But…why?” She asked. 

 There was another long pause. 

 “Because I love you, and you are… _so_ special to me.” He said. 

 Liz closed her eyes as she enjoyed hearing his voice and his profession of love for her. 

 “I love you too, Raymond.” She said. 

 “What are you doing now, sweetheart?” He asked. 

 “Nothing. I’m done for the day.” She said. 

 “My driver and I will pick you up and you can come to my apartment…if you want to.” He said. 

 “Okay. I’ll wait out front.” She said. 

 Red smiled as they hung up. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 The car pulled up out front of Lizzie’s dorm and she was leaning against the wall, looking slightly tired. Red opened the door for her and moved over. She got in and sat beside him. 

 “Hello, sweetheart.” He said. 

 “Hi.” She said. 

 They gazed into each other’s eyes. Red wanted to get the Tom Keen thing out of the way. 

 “I know my methods are a little…extreme, but it’s for the best. Tom Keen won’t bother you anymore. You can focus on your education and be happy.” He said. 

 Liz wondered what went on behind those magnificent green eyes of his, but his reasoning made a little bit of sense. She was so in love with Raymond, she wanted to believe him. She allowed herself to be persuaded. 

 Red was delighted when he saw Lizzie smile at him. He softly touched her cheek. 

 “It’s so good to see you smile.” He said quietly. 

 This made her smile more broadly. Liz put her hand over Raymond’s as he caressed her cheek, then they held hands on the way to his apartment. When they arrived, Red offered his arm to Lizzie and she took it. He escorted her to the elevator and they faced each other as they went up to the top floor. Liz studied Raymond’s face and thought about how much she loved him; it dawned on her that she did indeed love him unconditionally, and whatever criminal things he did, she would tolerate them. Red wondered what Lizzie was thinking about as she stared at him. They were both brought out of their reveries when the elevator dinged and the doors opened. They went to his apartment. 

 They were quiet as they walked inside and Red locked the door. Lizzie then turned to him and stared at him again. She was curious about how he got Tom to go on a trip—or move—to Amsterdam, but she wasn’t sure she actually wanted to know. 

 “Please sit with me.” Red said, ushering Lizzie into the living room. 

 They sat on the sofa together and looked at each other. Liz’s thoughts were still racing; she was getting a bit ahead of herself and worrying about what it will be like to stay with Raymond and tolerate his criminality. How much would she have to compromise? Would she still be able to go into forensic psychology? She wasn’t sure how this was going to work, but she definitely wanted it to work. Red noticed Lizzie was still gazing at him. 

 “What is it, sweetheart? Are you angry with me?” He asked. 

 “No, I’m not. I’m just thinking.” She said. 

 Liz suddenly decided to push away her thoughts and worries and snuggle up to Raymond. She moved close and curled her legs on the sofa as she rested against him. Red was pleasantly surprised, and he put his arm around her. They relaxed together for a few minutes, then he glanced at her. She looked so sweet, he had to kiss her. He leaned closer and brushed his lips against hers. Liz felt Raymond’s soft lips glide over hers and it was tantalizing, so she pressed her mouth against his, creating a firm kiss. They both quietly sighed and continued kissing. When they gently pulled away, they looked at each other. Red shifted and lowered his head to kiss her neck, which made her moan quietly. Liz revelled in the kisses on her neck, but then she got a bit nervous. 

 “Um…Raymond…” She said. 

 He backed away and looked at her expectantly.

 “I’m…on my period…” She said, blushing. 

 Red smiled warmly at her. 

 “I don’t mind.” He said reassuringly. 

 He noticed Lizzie’s surprised expression, so he continued. 

 “I mean we don’t have to do anything…how about I give you a nice massage?” He said. 

 Liz smiled lightly at him. 

 “Okay…” She said. 

 Red wanted to pamper her. 

 “Let’s go in the bedroom so you can relax properly.” He said. 

 Liz nodded and they went into the bedroom. 

 “Now, take off your clothes.” He said.

 He noticed Lizzie start blushing again.

 “You can leave your underwear on.” He clarified. 

 Liz undressed down to her panties and then eagerly awaited Raymond’s guidance. 

 “Lay on your front, sweetheart.” He said gently. 

 She got comfy on her front and she felt him join her on the bed. She felt his warm hands on her shoulders and she closed her eyes and sighed. Red was pleased Lizzie was relaxing. He gently squeezed her muscles and pressed his thumbs into her back, working his way down. He found a ticklish spot and she suddenly jumped and laughed. Red smiled and put his hands on her lower back, pressing lightly. 

 “Ohhh that’s sooo nice.” Liz said, moaning. 

 Red was turned on by hearing her, but he tried to focus on the massage. 

 Liz smiled as her tension and slight aching was soothed. 

 “You’re so sweet, Raymond.” She said quietly. 

 Red wasn’t used to being called ‘sweet’. He paused for a second and he smirked as he continued massaging Lizzie’s lower back. Red surveyed her waist, her bare back, her butt in the turquoise panties and he felt himself getting hard. He prided himself on his self-control, but with Lizzie, it was difficult. He heard her sigh and watched her stretch her arms up toward the headboard. She arched her back, causing her butt to stick up as she stretched. Red took a calculated risk and caressed her butt; Liz enjoyed this sensual massage and she hummed her pleasure. 

 Red heard Lizzie make the small humming sound and he was delighted she was enjoying the massage so much. He gradually moved down to her thighs, then her calves, then her feet. Liz felt like she was melting into the bed with relaxation, but she also felt turned on. Raymond was so attentive and devoted; she wanted to return the favor. She turned over and smiled at him, then she sat up. He raked his eyes over her bare breasts and watched her approach him seductively, but then he looked into her eyes again.

 “What are you doing, sweetheart?” He asked.

 “Just lay back…” She said in a sultry tone.

 Red was easily persuaded, and did as she commanded.

 Liz reached for Raymond’s belt and started undoing it as she gazed into his eyes. He raised an eyebrow and smirked slightly. She unbuttoned his trousers, then unzipped them. Liz took hold of the waistband of the trousers along with his boxers, then pulled. Raymond lifted up so she could pull them down, and he saw her lustful expression. He observed her as she grasped his erection and stroked him. She watched him and gauged his response; he looked very pleased, as well as very horny. 

 Red was somewhat taken aback as Lizzie smirked and then suddenly took him into her mouth. He moaned quietly as he felt her lips slowly gliding downward. She then pulled back and licked up the underside of his length from base to tip. Liz was exploring him and tasting him. She slid her tongue over his tip a few times and noticed some fluid forming there, so she licked it and swallowed. She could hear Raymond breathing heavily. Liz put her mouth over him again and moved at a steady pace. She felt him nudge into her mouth slightly when she slowed down just past the tip; she stayed there to see if he liked it, and she was rewarded with a moan. Red was astonished; Lizzie was a quick learner. 

 Liz gently tightened her hand around him and then she tightened her lips, wanting to give Raymond more intense pleasure. She kept focusing on the special spot just past his tip and she thought she heard him swear under his breath, but that was uncharacteristic of him. She pulled back and tried sucking on the tip. 

 “God, Lizzie…” He said breathily. 

 Liz was encouraged to do this for a while; she tasted some more fluid. After several more moments, she went back down to his favorite spot and went a bit faster because she heard him breathing more heavily. She felt his erection get even harder and it seemed to be straining against her tight lips. 

 “I’m going to come…” He said quietly. 

 Liz was excited, and she increased her efforts. Red felt a mind-blowing orgasm overtake him and he came heavily in Lizzie’s mouth. Liz heard him exhale loudly and felt him gushing into her mouth. She was extremely gratified. She kept swallowing until it was done and he relaxed, sighing. Red was in a satisfied daze as she released him and looked at him; she smiled at his blissful expression, then she crawled forward and kissed him. He didn’t know when she’d turned into such a saucy little minx, but he had a feeling he’d contributed to the transformation. She gently pulled away and gazed at him, and he studied her face and body, still just wearing her cute panties. He marvelled at her. 

 “Wow, Lizzie…I don’t know what to say…” Red said. 

 Liz giggled. 

 “You don’t have to say anything.” She said, smiling. 

 Liz pulled the blankets up and over both of them, then she snuggled against Raymond. They relaxed peacefully together and allowed themselves to have a nap. After a while, Red woke up and smiled as he felt Lizzie’s hand wandering around on his chest. They looked at each other and Liz smiled and blushed lightly as she’d been caught exploring him. He kissed her on the nose and then kissed her lips. Red surveyed her face and noticed her lustful eyes, then he raked his eyes over her breasts. He softly trailed his hand over her cheek, down her neck, over her collarbone and over one lovely mound and then the other. She sighed quietly and lay back, submitting to him.

 Red’s hand travelled down to between Lizzie’s thighs, where he gently caressed her overtop of her panties; he noticed there wasn’t any pad in her panties, so he slipped his hand under the material to delicately press on her clit. She parted her legs and pushed against his fingers. 

 “Mm. You like that don’t you, Lizzie…” He said quietly. 

 She whimpered. 

 “Yes…” She said breathily.

 Liz felt Raymond’s fingertips slowly, gently moving in circles on her clit and she closed her eyes with pleasure; he always knew exactly how she wanted to be touched. She excitedly moved against his hand in a rhythm and he felt her clit becoming more firm under his fingers. He heard her breathing heavily and studied the pleasure on her face. Red moved his fingers faster and pressed down more firmly, which rewarded him with another whimper. He smirked slightly and watched Lizzie concentrating as she got lost in the pleasure. He brushed his lips against her hair and he felt her pushing urgently against his hand. 

 “That’s my girl…” He said quietly in her ear. 

 This pushed Liz into an immense orgasm, and she squirmed under Raymond’s hand as he continued caressing her. As the waves of her orgasm ebbed, she sighed and slumped in relaxation. Red took his hand out of her panties as she caught her breath. 

 They looked at each other and smiled, then Red kissed Lizzie several times. They decided to get out of bed, so Liz got dressed again and they washed up. Red made supper for them and they had a leisurely evening together. When it got late, Liz stayed and they snuggled all night. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was in her dorm, studying for midterms. She didn’t know how she’d managed to stay on top of her readings and homework because her relationship with Raymond was pretty much all-consuming, but she had, so studying wasn’t too difficult. She called Sam to tell him she was studying and it was going well; they talked for a while, and he asked her if she’d met any friends or a boyfriend. Liz told him she was friends with Chloe, her dorm mate and there were some friendly acquaintances in her classes. She also said she had a bit of a crush on a guy, but she didn’t elaborate. A ‘crush’ was the understatement of the century, and she felt bad for not telling him the truth; but what was she supposed to say? She met a guy in a bar who’s much older than she is and he happens to be some sort of criminal? Raymond would have to remain her dark secret. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was on her way home from her last midterm exam, and she was relieved and happy. She did well on all her exams and they were done, for now. There was a cold wind and she pulled her jacket hood up and pulled her scarf up over her mouth. She shoved her hands in her pockets and was looking down as she walked, then she suddenly collided with someone. Liz quickly looked up, startled, and saw Tom Keen. He wasn’t going to move out of her way, so she glared at him and tried to walk around him. Tom followed her and walked alongside her like he did before. Liz had enjoyed her break from the harassment, and now she felt her stomach going into knots. 

 “I had a nice vacation, courtesy of your boyfriend. You know, he actually gave me fake ID and money and then put me on a jet to Amsterdam. What is _wrong_ with him?” Tom said. 

 Liz glanced around nervously and felt her anxiety increasing. She didn’t reply. 

 “How can you be with someone like that? He’s fucking psycho.” He said. 

 Liz still didn’t respond. She just wanted to ignore him and get home. 

 “Maybe I’ll go to the police and tell them about your boyfriend making very serious death threats against me, creating false ID, and forcing me to leave the country.” He said bitterly. 

 Liz stopped abruptly and turned to him. 

 “You wonder what’s wrong with _him_?! What’s wrong with _you_ , Tom?! Why are you doing this to me?” She blurted out. 

 Tom smirked. 

 “I’ll stop if you do something for me…” He said with an obvious sexual innuendo. 

 Liz felt like punching him in the face, but she just started to walk away; Tom grabbed her arm, not wanting her to walk away from him. She yanked her arm free and glared at him. 

 “Fuck off! Leave me alone!” She shouted. 

 Tom backed off and let her go, for now. Liz hurriedly walked home, feeling enraged and trembling the whole way. She got into her dorm room and called Raymond. She’d planned on calling him to say her exams were done and they could spend some time together, but it was now going to be a call for help. 

 “Raymond, it’s Lizzie. We have a problem.” She said.

 Red noticed she sounded upset. 

 “What is it, sweetheart?” He asked. 

 “…It’s…Tom Keen. He’s back and…” Liz’s frustration boiled over and she started crying. 

 Red couldn’t bear to hear her crying. It was surprising that he didn’t crush the phone, he gripped it so tightly. 

 “What’s he done?” He asked. 

 Liz sniffled a few times and took a deep breath to calm down. 

 “He harassed me again as I was walking home from my last exam, just a short while ago. He said he might go to the police about you and he said he’ll stop doing this if…if I do something for him in return.” She said. 

 The rage Red felt suddenly turned into a deep coldness inside, which happened whenever he had to do something terrible, drastic, yet necessary. 

 “I’ll take care of it, Lizzie. Let’s meet at the bar later, around eight to celebrate you finishing your midterm exams.” He said. 

 Liz was startled by his calm and collected tone. 

 “…Okay…thanks, Raymond. I’ll see you later…” She said. 

 “You’re welcome. See you later.” He said. 

 They hung up, and while Liz blew her nose and relaxed, Red grabbed his handgun and left the apartment. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Tom was feeling smug because he thought he might finally be able to get what he wanted from Elizabeth. He left the corner store and was cutting through the alley where Elizabeth’s boyfriend had attacked him. He walked confidently through the empty alleyway but as he reached the open area behind the building, he heard a click and felt the muzzle of a gun at his temple. 

 “Get in the car.” Red ordered. 

 Tom sighed imperceptibly as he got deja vu. He got into the backseat of a black sedan with tinted windows. 

 Red got in beside Tom to keep the gun trained on his head. The chauffeur drove them away from civilization, down a service road out in the country, then parked in the driveway of a derelict farmhouse. Tom was starting to realize the gravity of the situation as they got out of the car and there was nothing around for miles. He was ordered by gunpoint into the house, which was unlocked. Once inside, Red walked in front of Tom and pointed the gun at his forehead. 

 “I heard you came back and started bothering Elizabeth again, including sexual harassment.” Red said coldly. 

 “…Look, it wasn’t anything serious.” Tom said, minimizing what he did to Elizabeth.

 “Oh I think it was very serious.” Red said. 

 Tom got defensive. 

 “Well maybe I was just offering to keep her company while you’re in prison.” Tom said boldly. 

 “I considered bringing a butter knife…but that would have been too slow. And messy. I don’t want to waste any more time on you.” Red said. 

 There was a loud bang and Tom dropped dead. Red studied him for a few moments, checked for a pulse, then left. The chauffeur took him all the way back to his apartment, where he called Mr. Kaplan. 

 “Kate, I have a job for you…” He said, and proceeded to give her directions to the condemned house. 

 “Understood, Raymond.” She said in her monotone voice. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz finished putting her eye makeup on. She deliberately just put a little bit of clear lipgloss on so that she wouldn’t get lipstick all over Raymond. She was wearing the new skirt, blouse and heels that Raymond bought for her, as well as some sexy lingerie underneath—including thigh-high stockings. Liz missed him so much. She excitedly put her coat and scarf on, grabbed her purse and keys, and she left. As she walked, she glanced around and was relieved when there was no sign of Tom Keen. She knew Raymond would take care of things for her, and she found herself not really caring how he did it. 

 Liz arrived at the bar and went in; she saw Raymond sitting in his favorite booth in the corner, so she went over to him. Red was delighted to see Lizzie and he took special notice of the new outfit she was wearing. They smiled at each other and he took her coat off for her, then they sat down. Lizzie scooted in next to him in the booth again, and Red thought it was adorable. He already had their drinks waiting on the table; he had his usual, very expensive scotch and she had a dry martini. Red raised his glass, and Lizzie raised hers. 

 “Here’s to you finishing your first set of midterms at university.” He said, although, in a morbid way, he was celebrating more than that. 

 “Thanks!” She said excitedly.

 They both took a sip of their drinks and gazed at each other. They’d missed each other so much while she was busy studying and writing exams. Red surveyed her dark eye makeup, her glossy, luscious lips, the silk blouse, the skirt and her sexy legs in black stockings. The skirt had ridden up enough for him to get a peek of the lace band of the thigh-high stocking. Liz blushed lightly as Raymond raked his eyes over her. She leaned closer to him and he leaned forward so that their lips were a few inches away from each other. They then simultaneously moved closer and their lips met with a warm, electrifying intensity. It felt like there would be visible sparks flying as they kissed. Liz put her hands on Raymond’s chest and he put his hands on her lower back. 

 Liz was completely lost in the pleasure, and so was Red. They didn’t care that they were making out and giving everyone in the bar quite the show. Red felt Lizzie grasp his shirt and pull him closer while arching her back. They both wished she could just get in his lap, but that would have to wait. They gently stopped kissing and looked at each other lustfully. Liz was nearly breathless and she felt her heart racing. Red smirked at her beautiful reaction to him and he caught his breath, too. 

 “I missed you so much, Raymond…” Liz said as she stared into his eyes. 

 “I missed you so much, too, Lizzie…” Red said, smiling. 

 He kissed her gently and he heard a quiet moan as one song finished and another started. The next song was “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode, which played when they first met. They smiled at each other. 

 “So…did you…have a nice day?” Liz asked, trying her best to allude to the Tom Keen situation without really asking. 

 “Yes. Everything went swimmingly…” Red replied, then he gave her a smile.

 Liz felt that was as much as she wanted to know, so she smiled and nodded. She took a sip of her martini. Red sipped his scotch. 

 “I’m glad your exams went well, Lizzie. I think you’ll have a brilliant career when you finish school.” He said. 

 Liz beamed at him. 

 “Thank you! I hope so!” She said. 

 “You will, sweetheart.” He said assuredly. 

 He put his hand on her thigh in a reassuring gesture, but it was electrifying to both of them. Red briefly rubbed her thigh, enjoying the feeling of the stocking. Liz was turned on and she just stared at him. She then abruptly kissed him, which surprised Red. They immediately started making out again, not being able to restrain themselves. This went on for a few minutes, then they pulled apart. 

 “Do you want to come to my apartment?” Red asked. 

 “Yes!” Liz said emphatically. 

 They got up and Red held her coat for her to get into, then they went outside. The car was waiting nearby, so they got into the backseat and resumed their kissing. 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the blues tune I mention in here, if you'd like to listen to it. 
> 
> “When the Hurt is Over” by Mighty Sam McClain: https://youtu.be/J4YPMiFaPWo

 In her mind, Liz was squealing with excitement as she and Raymond stepped into his apartment. They were all over each other in the bar and then in the backseat during the drive. She felt so aroused and she could feel her panties were very wet. As soon as Raymond locked the door and turned to her, she grasped his jacket and pulled him into a passionate kiss. She felt his tongue slide into her mouth and she felt another gush at her opening. Liz moaned into the kiss and put her hand on the bulge in Raymond’s trousers, rubbing him overtop of the material. They pulled apart and looked at each other. They both quickly took their coats off, then Red looked Lizzie up and down as she took her scarf off and dropped it on the floor; she looked amazing in her outfit and kitten heels.

 “Lizzie…do you want to try something different?” He asked. 

 Liz blushed. 

 “…Okay.” She said, although she got a bit nervous. 

 “Don’t worry, it’s nothing weird…” He said, smiling at her nervous expression. 

 Liz blushed more, but she giggled. 

 “Come here.” He said softly, offering his hand to her. 

 She took his hand and was led into the bedroom, where she waited expectantly for his instruction. 

 “I would like you to stay in your clothes…and bend over the bed while I take you from behind…” He said lustfully, putting his hands on her waist.

 Liz blushed again. 

 “Oh…okay.” She said quietly. 

 She was excited and nervous; this would be another first. 

 “Do you want to do that, Lizzie?” Red asked. 

 “Yes.” She said, giving him a coy smile. 

 He smiled warmly at her and then kissed her again. She felt his warm hands go to her butt and pull her closer. She could feel how hard he was and she got even more excited. Liz felt her panties were basically soaked. 

 “Raymond…I’m so wet…I wanna do it now.” She said. 

 Red felt like he could have come in his pants right then.

 “Alright sweetheart. Turn around…” He said. 

 Liz eagerly turned around and put her hands on the bed, but it was so high that she wasn’t really bent over, so she lowered herself onto her forearms. Red gaped at the sight before him: Lizzie bent over with her butt up in the air, wearing a short skirt, thigh-high stockings and heels. He didn’t know where he got all his luck from. Liz waited and then she felt Raymond gently pull her skirt up over her butt. He grasped her panties and pulled them down until they dropped to her ankles. She stepped out of them so that she’d be able to spread her legs if she wanted to—or needed to.

 Liz waited again and listened to Raymond’s belt clinking as he took it off, then she heard the zipper of his trousers. She got even more turned on, so she stuck her butt up and pushed back slightly as she waited impatiently. Red was floored. He guided his tip along her moist folds, from her clit to her opening and she whimpered. Red felt Lizzie’s warm, slippery fluid at her opening and he couldn’t believe how wet she was for him. He gently nudged inside and he heard her moan. He caressed her hips and went a little further. They were both nearly overwhelmed with pleasure already. Liz then felt Raymond go all the way inside and it felt deeper than usual, so she gasped and tensed up slightly. 

 Red waited for her to adjust again; he ran his hands over her back and then her bare butt. He then felt Lizzie nudge backwards, so he knew she was ready. He pulled back and then pushed in again, and they both moaned. Liz grasped the blankets to brace herself as Raymond began thrusting steadily, although he wasn’t being rough with her. 

 “Does this feel good, Lizzie?” He asked. 

 “Mmm…yes…oh god…” She whimpered. 

 Red was very pleased with how Lizzie was responding. They could both feel how easily he was sliding in and out because of her wetness and it was driving them crazy with pleasure. Red quickened the pace and then Lizzie spread her legs and started pushing back to meet his thrusts, which surprised him. She was panting and clutching the blankets. He firmly held her hips and went faster. 

 “Oh god…Raymond…oh my god…” She chanted as she got closer to climaxing. 

 Red felt Lizzie’s slippery, tight walls tightening around him and he wouldn’t be able to last much longer, especially hearing her being so vocal. 

 “…Lizzie…” He breathed, as he felt her continuing to tense up. 

 She loved hearing this, and after a few more quick thrusts, she was overcome with her orgasm. She cried out and whimpered as he kept thrusting, now more roughly. It made her orgasm last longer. Red felt how tight she was during her climax and the intense pleasure made him come. He held her close and spurted deep inside her over and over again. Liz felt Raymond relax and loosen his grip on her hips, so she slumped forward onto the bed. They both sighed loudly and caught their breath. 

 “Oh. My. God.” She said, with her face smushed against the bed. 

 Red smirked and chuckled quietly. 

 “I know.” He said. 

 Liz giggled. 

 Red gently slipped out of Lizzie. 

 “Just stay put for a second, sweetheart.” He said. 

 Red knew she didn’t have any other clothes to wear, and a black skirt would certainly get stained, so he went and grabbed a soft towel. Liz was surprised when she felt Raymond delicately using a soft fluffy towel between her legs. She blushed and shuddered at the sensation. Red smirked at her reaction; she was too cute.

 “There. Now your skirt won’t get messy.” He said. 

 Liz rose up and looked at him; she noticed he was slightly eccentric, but she enjoyed it. She smiled and pulled up her panties, then tugged her skirt down.

 Red briefly used the towel on himself and then tossed it into the hamper; he did up his pants.

 “You should keep some of your clothes here.” He said. 

 Liz blushed again. 

 “Oh…um…yeah, I could do that…if it’s okay.” She said. 

 “Of course it’s okay.” He said, then he kissed her. 

 “You can stay here as often as you want, for as long as you want.” He added. 

 She beamed at him.

 Liz already knew their relationship was serious, but this was another big step.

 “Thank you…” She said, putting her hands on his chest and gazing into his eyes. 

 They kissed again. 

 “You’re very welcome.” He said, smiling. 

 Liz laughed when Raymond kissed her on the nose, as he so frequently did. 

 “What else would you like to do this evening, Lizzie?” He asked comically. 

 She giggled. 

 “Um…I dunno. How about you?” She said. 

 “You already did me…” He said jokingly. 

 “No, I mean what would _you_ like to do?” She said, blushing.

 “It’s a little chilly for a walk, I suppose. We could get my driver to take us to a club where we can listen to live blues music.” He said. 

 “I’d like that…but would I be able to get in? Is there a bouncer?” She said. 

 She saw Raymond tilt his head and smile broadly at her. 

 “Of course you’ll get in. You’re with me.” He said, as if it were a silly question.

 “Okay.” She said. 

 Red called the driver and they both made sure they were presentable again before leaving the apartment. They went outside and got into the car. Liz was cold, so she snuggled up to Raymond and he put his arm around her. After a while, the driver pulled up to the club and let them out. Red escorted Lizzie indoors. The atmosphere was warm, friendly and intriguing. Liz took everything in and she smiled excitedly; she so enjoyed the adventures and new experiences Raymond was giving her. They sat down at a table and he ordered drinks for them. An older man came over to them and greeted them like they were old friends; it turned out he and Raymond were old friends. 

 “It’s good to see you again, Raymond. And who’s this lovely young lady?” The man said.

 “Louis, I’d like you to meet Lizzie. Lizzie, this is Louis. He’s been singing the blues for thirty-five years.” Red said. 

 “Thirty-six.” Louis corrected him playfully. 

 “Oh I apologize.” Red said, smiling. 

 They all chuckled. 

 Louis shook Liz’s hand firmly. 

 “What a pleasure to meet you. “Lizzie”, huh? That’s the perfect name for a blues tune.” Louis said. 

 Liz grinned. 

 “Well, I’ll let you sit back and enjoy the show. I gotta take my spot on stage.” Louis said, then he left their table. 

 Liz’s rapt attention was on the stage as the band finished setting up and Louis sat down with his guitar. He played, seemingly at random and by instinct, and Liz was awestruck. When he finished, he held the microphone. 

 “That was a little tune I just made up…it’s called “Lizzie”.” He said. 

 Liz smiled and laughed. 

 The band then played a cover of “When the Hurt is Over” by Mighty Sam McClain and Liz was becoming enthralled with blues. She looked over and smiled at Raymond, who returned her smile. They gazed at each other for a while and sipped their drinks. They thoroughly enjoyed spending a long time in the club and then it got late, so they waved to Louis and Red took Lizzie home to his apartment. It was now almost one in the morning. 

 “That was really cool.” She said cheerfully. 

 “I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He said, smiling. 

 Red was taken aback as Lizzie started undoing her blouse while she walked towards the bedroom. He came to his senses and joined her in the bedroom. He watched her take her shoes and skirt off, then she was just in the black lacy bra and panties, and her thigh-highs. She loved the way he looked at her; she decided to put on a sexy show for him. Liz slid her fingers under the lace band of one of her stockings and slowly pushed it down and off, then she did the same to the other one. She undid her bra and slipped out of it, then she slowly pulled her panties down. Liz stepped out of them and approached Raymond, who was avidly watching her. She started undoing his shirt buttons.

 “Did you like my little show?” She asked, smirking. 

 “Yes. Immensely.” He said. 

 Liz giggled and finished unbuttoning his shirt. Red took off the jacket and shirt and then finished undressing so he could be naked with Lizzie. She then stepped closer and ran her hands down his chest. 

 “Aren’t you tired, sweetheart?” He asked, amazed by how insatiable she was. 

 “No. Are you?” She said. 

 “No.” He said. 

 So they started kissing. Red lightly rubbed Lizzie’s back while she caressed his chest and his shoulders. He felt her tongue eagerly slip into his mouth and he became very hard. He moved his body closer and she hummed softly when she felt his erection against her abdomen. She wanted to feel it between her legs again, although she was still a bit tender from the sex earlier. Liz felt like she just couldn’t get enough of Raymond. She ran her hand along his length, luxuriating in his hot, smooth skin. Red closed his eyes for a moment, revelling in the feeling of her hand stroking him. She was now quite the little temptress, and he wanted to give her whatever she wanted. 

 “Can you get on top of me this time?” She asked timidly. 

 “Yes.” He said, under her spell. 

 Liz smirked at Raymond’s eager reply, then she got on the bed and lay back. She noticed him studying her nude body, so she opened her legs for him. He gaped at her, just admiring her beauty and sexiness, then he joined her on the bed. He got on top of her and was cradled between her thighs. Lizzie was gazing up at him adoringly and he kissed her as he lowered himself to press against her. Liz moaned into the kiss as she felt his warm body on hers and then she felt him rub up and down on her sensitive, moist flesh. After doing this several times, Red positioned his tip at her opening. 

 “Are you ready?” He asked softly; he was still surprised she wanted to do it again so soon. 

 Liz thought about it for a second. 

 “Yeah, just…go slow…” She said, blushing lightly. 

 “I will, sweetheart.” He said quietly, then he kissed her. 

 Liz smiled and they gazed into each other’s eyes as Raymond gently nudged inside and felt how tight she was. He waited and studied her face. This reminded both of them of Lizzie’s first time; she started blushing. 

 “Let me help you relax…” Red said. 

 He shifted and put his hand between their bodies to caress her clit. She sighed with pleasure and closed her eyes for a few moments, focusing on what his fingers were doing. She felt herself relaxing and Red could feel her loosening up. He kissed her slowly and romantically as he played with her clit, then he felt her hands travel up his back and she grasped his shoulders. Liz moaned and tried to push herself down on Raymond’s erection. She felt him push in further, and it felt fine. 

 “Okay, _now_ I’m ready…” She said quietly. 

 Red smiled at Lizzie and her sweetness. He gently went further inside her and she was relaxed and more wet. He kissed her and slowly moved back and in again. Liz sighed and smiled up at Raymond, who continued his efforts on her clit, despite her being ready. They were both enjoying it very much. She felt the pleasure building rapidly from the dual stimulation, and she moaned. 

 “Raymond…I’m gonna have an orgasm soon if you keep that up…” She said. 

 “Oh?” He said excitedly. 

 Red smiled mischievously and continued rubbing her clit while gently thrusting. Lizzie started breathing more heavily and squirming under him; he could feel her trembling. 

 “I want you to come with me…” She said. 

 “I’m going to…” He said quietly. 

 Red thrust slightly faster, but he was so turned on, it wouldn’t take much to make him come. Liz relaxed and got lost in the pleasure. She felt shaky all over and she started whimpering. He felt her moving against his hand and she was tensing up as she got close to climaxing. She started clamping down on him and as she let out an extremely sexual moan with her orgasm, he started coming. Red gushed into her, which caused them both to feel very gratified. Liz was happy they came together, and so was Red. They slowed their movements and then stopped. They kissed each other and Red moved his hand from between them. 

 They looked at each other and smiled. Red delicately pulled out and slumped down beside Lizzie. 

 “Are you tired now?” He asked. 

 “Yeah. You?” She said. 

 “Very.” He said. 

 Liz giggled and once Raymond reached over and turned the lamp off, she pressed against his side and put her arm over him. They quickly fell asleep. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was back at her dorm room after having a lovely breakfast with Raymond. She saw the light flashing on her phone and she got the voicemail from Sam. He called at nine p.m. and wondered how her last exam went. Liz’s heart sank as she listened to the message. When he called, she’d already gone from the bar to Raymond’s apartment for sex. She felt bad. She took a deep breath and called him back, and he sounded relieved. He said he was a bit worried, but he figured she went out celebrating; she said she had. He told her to be careful when she goes out partying and she said she was fine because she was with a friend. They talked about her exams and what she had to do for the rest of the semester, then they said they loved each other and they’d talk again soon. They hung up. Liz still felt bad for lying to him, and she wondered if it would get any easier. Would she want to become a better liar? She didn’t know. Maybe someday, she could tell him the truth. 

 Liz went to the cafeteria in desperate need of caffeine, so she got a coffee and sat with Chloe. 

 “How’s it going?” Liz asked her. 

 “Good, you?” Chloe said. 

 “Good!” Liz said. 

 “Oh, I know that look…” Chloe said, and she laughed. 

 Liz blushed but she laughed, too. 

 “So…anything new?” Liz said, changing the subject. 

 “Not really. I’m done my midterms now. But you know what’s weird? I was supposed to have a coffee with Tom today—you know, Tom Keen—and he never showed up. I haven’t heard from him, either. We got talking the other day and I thought we kind of hit it off, so then we scheduled a coffee date type of thing.” Chloe said. 

 Liz cringed and her stomach started feeling strange. 

 “Oh…huh. Yeah that’s kind of weird.” She said. 

 Deep down, Liz believed she knew the reason Tom never showed up, even if she wasn’t ready to admit it to herself. 

 “Actually…I’m not feeling the best right now…I’ll see you later.” Liz said, then she abruptly went back to the dorm. 

 Liz went into her room and still felt slightly sick, but she forced herself to not think about what might have—or probably—happened to Tom Keen. She grabbed her book bag and went to her philosophy class. The professor recommended some books, including the Nietzsche one Liz found at the used book store. That got her daydreaming about Raymond for a while, then she had to snap out of it. The lecture went okay and then Liz went back to her dorm to get some reading done. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red was standing in an empty parking lot with Mr. Kaplan. 

 “I trust you performed your usual magic, Kate?” Red said. 

 “Yes, Raymond. Of course.” She said. 

 “Thank you.” He said. 

 “You’re welcome. But Raymond…I hope you didn’t do anything foolish by killing that boy.” She said. 

 “What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked defensively. 

 “I mean compromising yourself by doing something impulsive like that.” She said. 

 “It wasn’t impulsive, and I was careful, as always. You know me, Kate.” He said. 

 “I do know you, Raymond…that’s why I’m going to hazard a guess and say that this one had something to do with Elizabeth.” She said. 

 Red opened his mouth to say something, but he wasn’t sure what to say, so he closed it. 

 “I knew you would fall for her. Please just be careful so you don’t get hurt, or thrown in prison for murdering would-be suitors.” She said. 

 Red wanted to sneer at her, but something about Kate always made him keep his attitude in check. 

 “I will be careful.” He said seriously. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Liz managed to get caught up on assigned readings, although her mind kept wandering to Raymond, Tom Keen, Chloe, and Sam. She wanted to distract herself, so she put the radio on. She passed over station after station until she found some blues, then she stopped. Liz flopped down on her back, on her tiny bed, listening to the blues and thinking about Raymond. She wondered how on earth they were drawn together, being on such different paths. She wondered if she would ever be able to tell Sam about her relationship with him, and if Raymond would ever get in trouble for crimes. Liz felt worried for quite a while, but as she listened to the music, she relaxed. She thought about when she first saw Raymond in the bar, how he looks at her, his smile, his voice; she thought about how he made her feel. Liz decided that being with Raymond made her happy, despite the unintended consequences, and she was determined to stay with him and stay happy. Liz would stay with Raymond and the rest of the world would just have to deal with it. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 A few days later, Liz was watching Raymond put some of her clothes in his closet and she felt ecstatic and emotional. This was a big step in their relationship; she’d be spending even more time there. When he turned to her, she felt some tears welling up. 

 “Raymond, I…want to be with you for a long time.” She said quietly. 

 Red’s heart wrenched. He went over to her and kissed her. 

 “Why do you look so sad, sweetheart?” He asked. 

 “I just worry that we won’t be able to stay together…” She said. 

 Red worried about that too, but he was determined to be by her side forever. 

 “Lizzie…we _will_ stay together, if that’s what you want.” He assured her. 

 Liz nodded, but a few tears escaped and went down her cheeks. Red put his hands on her cheeks and gently wiped the tears away with his thumbs. He kissed her again, this time for longer. She started to feel comforted, especially when he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. She put her hands on his back and grasped his shirt, holding him tightly in return. Red pulled back and looked at her. 

 “If you stay with me, sweetheart, there are some things I’ll have to do…and I may need your help at some point.” He said. 

 Liz looked into Raymond’s intense eyes. 

 “…but…how will I help you?” She said, not understanding. 

 “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it…” He said. 

 “…Okay.” She said quietly. 

 “Do you trust me?” He asked. 

 “Yes…and I love you. I’ll do whatever I can to help.” She said. 

 “I love you, Lizzie. You are…everything to me.” He said quietly.

 They kissed each other gently, but then things quickly heated up. Their kissing turned intense and passionate, and Red gently guided Lizzie backwards until they reached the bed. She felt the bed on the back of her legs and she broke the kiss. She hurriedly undressed and Raymond did the same. They surveyed each other’s naked bodies and then Red kissed Lizzie’s neck, which made her sigh softly. 

 “Raymond…can you do it from behind again…?” She asked, blushing. 

 “Hell yes.” He said. 

 Liz smirked and crawled onto the bed, toward the headboard. She stayed on all fours and spread her legs as she waited excitedly for him. He got on the bed with her and positioned himself behind her. Liz felt a jolt of pleasure go through her when Raymond rubbed his tip along her and nudged her opening. Red felt how wet Lizzie was and heard her sigh shakily, so he gently slid inside. Her body eagerly accepted him, so he was able to smoothly go all the way in. They both moaned. He put his hands on her hips and moved back and then in again. 

 “Ohhh…yeah…” Liz whispered. 

 This encouraged Red to begin thrusting steadily. He heard her whimper quietly and he watched her arch her back; he worried he wouldn’t be able to last long, but judging by Lizzie’s reaction, she wouldn’t either. Red moved more quickly and Lizzie started nudging back against him in rhythm. She was panting and then she held onto the headboard with one hand to brace herself. He heard her getting very vocal, and it was music to his ears. Red felt Lizzie tense up and tighten around him, then she cried out loudly with her orgasm. He immediately came heavily inside her. The pleasure gradually died down and Red stopped moving. They both caught their breath for several moments, and then he gently pulled out so that Lizzie could change positions. 

 They lay down together on the bed, facing each other. Liz smiled and put her hand on Raymond’s cheek. They kissed and relaxed together for a while before showering together and having a late lunch. 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wraps up the story!

 Liz was sitting on the sofa in Raymond’s apartment, reading her Nietzsche book. She was engrossed in it for quite a while. Red was sitting in the armchair with his legs crossed, reading the newspaper, surreptitiously looking for missing persons reports or reports of remains being found. There were none. He studied Lizzie and smiled; he was so happy she was spending more time with him. He couldn’t bear to be away from her since they met and became close.

 Liz finished reading a chapter and she glanced up to find Raymond watching her. She smiled brightly at him and he smiled in return. 

 “Are you enjoying the book, sweetheart?” He asked. 

 “Yeah. It’s interesting. Are you enjoying your newspaper?” She asked.

 “I suppose…although I don’t think it’s as interesting as philosophy.” He said, folding up the paper and putting it on the coffee table. 

 Liz glanced at the newspaper and then looked into Raymond’s eyes. 

 “Anything…important…in there?” She asked cryptically, wondering about Tom Keen’s disappearance.

 He shook his head and gave her a subtle smile. 

 “No.” He said. 

 “Okay.” She said. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz went to classes over the rest of the semester, blissfully free from Tom Keen. She spent almost all her time with Raymond and only checked in at her dorm every now and then. Liz wrote her final exams for the term and she made plans to go visit her dad for a week over Christmas. She and Raymond celebrated an early Christmas together at his apartment, and they exchanged gifts; since she’d had quite a bit of money saved up from being spoiled by Raymond, she bought a rare collector’s edition of a blues record for him and he gave her a gorgeous vintage ring. When it was time for her to go back home, she was sad. It was hard for her to leave Raymond even for a week. Liz took her ring with her but hid it in her suitcase so her dad wouldn’t see it. When she got back after Christmas, Red made up for lost time with Lizzie with romantic dates and lots of lovemaking. She was wooed all over again. 

 Liz’s second semester went very well and she got mostly A’s. Before the school year drew to a close, she told her dad that she wanted to stay there over the summer. He was a little sad, but he gave her his blessing. She applied to stay in the dormitory year-round, but really, she spent nearly every day and night at Raymond’s apartment. 

 

**::::::::::: Three Years Later ::::::::::::::**

 

 Liz was extremely anxious during the convocation ceremony. She knew both Sam and Raymond would be there and she was hoping everything would be okay. They’d never met before and she was scared of what Sam might think. She’d only recently told him she was in a serious relationship with a man named Raymond Reddington; Sam had gone strangely silent for several moments on the phone but then he seemed fine. Liz didn’t go into detail and she omitted the fact that their relationship started when she was eighteen. 

 Red and Sam were standing together, watching Lizzie get her degree. They glanced at each other. 

 “Are we okay?” Red asked. 

 “…Yeah. We’re okay. But if you hurt her, we won’t be okay. I’ll put you in the ground. Got it?” Sam said. 

 Red nodded. 

 When the ceremony was over, Liz approached Sam and saw Raymond with him, and they were talking. She nearly dropped her degree. She went over to them. 

 “Hi! Everything okay?!” She said nervously. 

 “Everything’s fine.” Sam said. 

 “Isn’t that right, Raymond?” He added. 

 “Absolutely.” Red said. 

 They both smiled at her. 

 Liz felt awkward, but they seemed okay. She got hugs and kisses from both of them and they said they were very proud of her. Raymond then kissed her on the lips, making her blush, but then she wrapped her arms around his neck and happily kissed him back. Sam saw how in love Liz was with Raymond, so his heart softened. 

 

**::::::::::: Approximately Ten Years After That ::::::::::**

 

 “Are you ready, sweetheart?” Red asked. 

 “Yes.” Liz said, almost crying. 

 “It’s either this, or we spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders. I’m sorry.” He said. 

 Liz nodded. 

 “I know. I’m just…scared of losing you.” She said.

 They gazed into each other’s eyes. 

 “I know. But you won’t lose me, Lizzie. I promise.” He said. 

 Liz swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Then she kissed Raymond very passionately. 

 “I love you.” She said. 

 “I love you, too.” He said. 

 “Okay. Go before I change my mind…” She said, trying not to cry.

 Red left their apartment—which would be just Liz’s for the foreseeable future—and went to the FBI building. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 The next morning, Liz finished putting her lipgloss on and then she grabbed her purse and keys and stepped out the door. She didn’t realize the FBI would be picking her up, but Agent Ressler introduced himself and then she was whisked away to a black site. Liz was introduced to Harold Cooper and briefed on how Raymond Reddington would only speak to her and that’s why they needed her help. She acted surprised but agreed to interview him. 

 Before Liz went down the steps to meet with Raymond in the black site, her heart wrenched when she saw the absurdly secure box he was in. He was also strapped to a chair.

 “Is that really necessary?” She asked Ressler. 

 “Yes. He’s extremely dangerous, not to mention the most notorious flight risk. Don’t get too close to him.” He said. 

 Liz nodded and went downstairs. The holding cell opened and Raymond gave her a devilish grin as she approached, which made her feel weak in the knees. She missed him already. Liz sat down across from him and she wished she could kiss him, hug him and set him free, but she couldn’t. 

 “Well, I’m here. What did you want to tell me?” She said. 

 Red smiled at her and his eyes glinted. She was so beautiful and he missed her even though they’d only been apart for a day. He then told her about the criminal’s plan to abduct the child and send her on an unwitting suicide mission. This was the only way to get the FBI to trust him and get them to go along with his deal. 

 After the interview, Liz’s heart sank when Raymond was held in the cell again and she had no choice but to leave. This was the most difficult thing they would ever do, but it was necessary. They both wanted him to have immunity. In order to get immunity, Red would have to help the FBI and give them invaluable information; the mutually beneficial relationship would also allow him to eliminate people he thought of as being on his blacklist. 

 Red’s intel appeased the FBI and helped them rescue the child and foil the bomb plot, so he was allowed some freedom. He chose to stay in a nice hotel, where he and Lizzie secretly met up a few times. They continued stealing moments together and having secret trysts until they were free to be together again.

 

**:::::::::: Epilogue :::::::::::**

 

 Red, Liz and the FBI took down the final blacklister around a year ago. Liz was on maternity leave and she and Raymond were enjoying being a family with their baby daughter, Agnes. They were finally free and could live together in peace.

 


End file.
